U.S. Surgeon General Recognizes Friends LA

During his recent visit to Los Angeles, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy advised on the "urgent" youth mental health crisis our nation is grappling with.

"Mental health challenges in children, adolescents, and young adults are real and widespread. Even before the pandemic, an alarming number of young people struggled with feelings of helplessness, depression, and thoughts of suicide — and rates have increased over the past decade." said Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.

Though the issue sadly runs rampant among our nation's youth, organizations from the public and private sectors in Los Angeles are coming together to take a stand and safeguard our community's children. Friends of the Children-Los Angeles is honored to be a leader in this effort.

Indeed, today's youth are experiencing higher suicide rates, untreated mental disorders, and anxiety and stress made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Knowing this, Friends of the Children-Los Angeles has increased the programmatic scope of our youth mental wellness services by equipping our professional mentors with extended trainings on clinical mental health support and resources.

"Of all his accolades and roles, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has proudly continued to serve as a mental health change agent for youth and their families. His inspirational work has nationally impacted countless lives and under-served populations through his compassion, transparency, and awareness. Friends LA commends his efforts in continuing to Put Children First and is proud to be a part of the national efforts to safeguard and enhance youth mental health across the country." - Executive Director, Jorie Das

The U.S. Surgeon General has applauded our commitment to protect youth mental health, noting our swift and impactful actions to expand access and reduce barriers to mental health services through relationship-based and research-informed programming.

Friends of the Children-Los Angeles is proud to be identified as a partner working to treat and improve the mental welfare of children across Los Angeles County and beyond. Click the button below to read the U.S. Surgeon General's complete statement.