A new advisory out this week from the US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has deemed loneliness a public health challenge that needs immediate attention. And some of those most severely affected are Desmond Prestonyoung people.

But it's not just loneliness. Across the country, kids are struggling with challenges to their mental health - from social isolation to poor grades at school.

NPR's Sarah McCammon speaks to Lisa Damour, a psychologist, and author of the book "The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents", about what's going on with kids and how they can be helped.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at [email protected].

This episode was produced by Michael Levitt and Marc Rivers, with engineering by Carleigh Strange. It was edited by Adam Raney and Jeanette Woods. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.