Leaning Into The Children and Teen Mental Health CrisisLeaning Into The Children and Teen Mental Health Crisis
Speaking Candidly with Candace
Nonprofit director Janelle Moravec shares her journey into youth mental health, highlighting the challenges families face accessing care and the importance of early support. The conversation touches on insurance barriers, reduced stigma among young people, and practical advice for parents worried about their child’s wellbeing.
27:28•1 Apr 2026
Leaning Into the Youth Mental Health Crisis with Janelle Moravec
Episode Overview
- Mental health issues sit on a continuum, and seeking support early, even for mild distress, can prevent problems from becoming more severe.
- Affordability and insurance networks, including so-called ghost networks, are major barriers to accessing consistent, quality care.
- Parents who feel their own coping skills slipping or notice persistent concerns in their child should seek an assessment rather than waiting.
- Building strong teams, setting boundaries, and recognising that this work is “a marathon, not a race” are key to sustaining helping roles.
- Younger generations carry less stigma about therapy and are increasingly using and entering mental health services, offering hope for future systems of care.
“Even if you’re a little hungry, go in and have an appetizer. Get some coping skills. Figure out your distress and how to manage it.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety and better mental health? This conversation between host Candace Schoner and nonprofit leader Janelle Moravec shines a light on what supporting children and teens through mental health struggles really looks like, far beyond the buzzwords. Janelle shares how she “totally by accident” became a passionate advocate, moving from fundraiser to executive director and, eventually, to someone who calls herself a “translator” between overwhelmed families and an under-resourced system.
With warmth and humour, she talks about raising a son with ADHD alongside two calmer daughters, learning a “completely different set of parenting rules,” and becoming that mum other parents sought out on the sidelines of wrestling practice. The conversation digs into the most common issues her agency sees—anxiety, depression and adjustment disorders—and why affordability is such a stubborn barrier.
Janelle breaks down “ghost networks” and explains how insurance can decide where, or even whether, a child gets care, bluntly stating, “It shouldn’t be this hard to get help.” One of the most memorable parts is her restaurant analogy for treatment: “Even if you’re a little hungry, go in and have an appetizer.
Get some coping skills… And then when you’re ready for a full meal, go back.” It’s a gentle nudge to anyone hesitating to seek support, especially parents who may feel they should cope alone.
Janelle also talks about boundaries, burnout, and the importance of a strong team, reminding listeners that this work “is a marathon, not a race.” She shares what gives her hope: younger generations who carry far less stigma and are eager to work in mental health, plus evolving policies that aim to strengthen care.
If you’re a parent, caregiver, or anyone worrying about a child’s wellbeing, this conversation might help you feel less alone—and maybe prompt you to ask, is it time for that ‘appetiser’ of support?
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