Commentary: Making the case for linking behavioral health strategies to enhance work as a social determinant for youth

This commentary addresses the importance of work as a social determinant of health and the role that behavioral health interventions play in its successful execution. Data on the influence of nonmedical factors on wellness of vulnerable populations is reviewed as well as the need to facilitate acquisition of meaningful employment for post-high school graduates, referred to as opportunity youth. It also discusses the role of behavioral health professionals to proactively manage mental health concerns that negatively influence the employment process. Moreover, it suggests that behavioral health professionals can potentially predict work acquisition success based on participant risks and barriers to employment. Such analyses can affect decisions regarding program participant selection and the assessment of program/staff resources required for a successful pathway to job acquisition. Such insights can provide useful guideposts on how to apply this social determinant theory to effectively integrate this unutilized workforce into productive jobs.