For most teenagers, turning 18 or 21 years old is a milestone of accomplishment and hope, ushering in the start of an advanced education or a career. But for young adults with mental health conditions (such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, major depressive or anxiety disorders, or conduct disorder) the transition from adolescence to adulthood can be much more difficult. The dangers of ending up jobless, homeless or even in jail loom large.
More than 3 million young adults aged 18 to 21 have been diagnosed with a serious mental health condition. Almost 70 percent of high school students with identified mental health needs have vocational or employment goals, but more than half of these end up dropping out of high school, and only 5 percent to 20 percent enter postsecondary education, according to a soon-to-be published national study of youth in 500 school districts.
Young people with mental health needs who want to work or to utilize vocational training after high school are much more likely than students with other disabilities (such as physical impairments) to be disappointed in their dreams
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