This study centers the voices of providers currently working with the child and adolescent population to analyze social and structural factors that facilitate or impede access and service utilization among children and adolescents. We conducted semi structured interviews with 15 psychological health care providers across 4 metropolitan cities in India. Thematic analysis was guided by an immersion-crystallization study design. Following this modified grounded theory approach, structural stigma emerged as a salient factor. Participant narratives revealed interconnecting forms of stigma encountered by adolescents. There was a preference for therapy over pharmacological interventions. Providers indicate the need for institutional and policy support for schools to promote mental health and well-being among children. Training lay counsellors, and initiating tele-mental health services in a large-scale manner could be effective ways to distribute caseloads and reach vulnerable populations without access to high-quality mental healthcare in their geographic vicinity.

Deeksha Vasanth Rao completed her PhD in Global Health from Oregon State University, USA, and holds an MA in International Development with a focus on Global Health Monitoring and Evaluation from American University, DC. She recently served as an ORISE Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Birth Defects and Infant Disorders, where she contributed to national surveillance initiatives and maternal-child health research. She has authored publications in peer-reviewed journals including Global Public Health and has presented at national conferences including the Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER) Annual Meeting and the National Birth Defects Prevention Network (NBDPN) Conference. Her research interests include maternal-child health, health equity, and healthcare access among vulnerable populations.