By the numbers: The big picture:Globally, mental health challenges are among the leading causes of illness and disability in young people. In South Africa, these pressures are intensified by poverty, violence, and limited access to care. What they’re saying: “Young people are navigating a critical phase of human development during which they experience heightened vulnerability to environmental factors that shape their mental health,” said Prof. Carrie Brooke-Sumner, Specialist Scientist at the SAMRC Mental Health, Alcohol, SubstanceUse and Tobacco Research Unit (MASTRU). “In South Africa, the environmentalforces include exposure to the effects of poverty and violence.” The details: The gap: “The vast majority of young people with mental health problems do not seek help or receive care,” said Prof. Jason Bantjes, Director of MASTRU. “Sometimes this is a result of resource constraints and a scarcity of health professionals who are properly trained to identify and treat childhood psychiatricconditions. But stigma and a