Touchstone Foundation conducted a Youth Listening Tour and Parent Survey in collaboration with local community partners to better understand the current mental and behavioral health needs of youth and families in Lancaster County. The goal was to gather input directly from youth, parents, and caregivers about key challenges, effective solutions, and missing areas for funding, advocacy, and policy support.
The Youth Listening Tour focused on youth aged 14-26 living in the County, while the Parent Survey targeted parents of students in Lancaster County. This approach provided both qualitative and quantitative insights, though the results represent a snapshot in time and may evolve as additional perspectives are gathered.
Based on the findings, Touchstone Foundation identified several key recommendations:
- Increase access to mental health services by reducing wait times and funding transportation support.
- Reduce stigma around mental health through programs specifically for parents and youth.
- Address social media’s impact on youth mental health with targeted resources.
- Ensure accurate health information with tools to help parents evaluate sources.
The survey and listening tour also highlighted the need for trained adults to serve as youth mentors. This led to us issuing a Request for Proposals in 2023 and funding partnerships with three local organizations: CASA, Bench Mark Program, and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Touchstone Foundation will use these findings as a crucial guide in developing future funding initiatives and supporting advocacy and policy changes to promote youth mental wellness across Lancaster County.
Touchstone Foundation will use these findings as a crucial guide in developing future funding initiatives and supporting advocacy and policy changes to promote youth mental wellness across Lancaster County.
