MD leaders launch resource to support youth mental health

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Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller teamed up with the Governor’s Office for Children, the Child Mind Institute and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore to announce the Maryland Youth Digital Wellness Playbook‘s release on April 29, offering guidance to support young people’s mental health in a digital age.

According to the Governor’s Office for Children, adolescent depression rates in the U.S. have nearly doubled over the past two decades. Young people who spend more than three hours a day using a social media platform face double the risk of depression and anxiety, according to research cited by GOC.

The playbook, a best-practices guide designed for parents, caregivers and educators, is a tool designed to help users translate research into actionable strategies for healthier digital engagement.

The playbook was developed in partnership with the Child Mind Institute, a New York-based nonprofit that serves children affected by mental health.

“Today, supporting young people’s mental health means understanding the role the digital world plays in their daily lives,” Miller said in a statement. 

“This playbook gives families, educators, and communities practical tools to help young Marylanders build healthier habits, strengthen their resilience, and feel more confident navigating online spaces. It’s one more way we are showing up for our youth and making sure they have what they need to thrive both online, and off.”

With separate teen and elementary school editions, the resource contains skill sheets focusing on mindfulness, reframing unhelpful thoughts and managing the compulsive behaviors prompted by social media and gaming. Gender-specific support addressing specific mental health challenges facing both boys and girls is also featured in the playbook. 

“The Child Mind Institute is proud to partner with the State of Maryland to help children and teens navigate the rapidly evolving digital world and its effects on their emotional well-being and development,” said Safiya Addison, vice president of School and Community Programs at the Child Mind Institute. 

“The Maryland Youth Digital Wellness Playbook is an important step toward giving kids tools and strategies to build mindful digital habits they can practice daily.”   

The Governor’s Office for Children will host the Maryland Youth Digital Wellness Playbook on its website. The resource will also be distributed to more than 80 Boys & Girls Club locations across the state, according to the lieutenant governor‘s office.