Starting this month, all New York City public school students ages 13 through 17 will have access to a licensed therapist they can connect with by phone, video and text, Mayor Eric Adams announced Wednesday.

Named “TeenSpace,” the city’s tele-mental health service was created in partnership with the online therapy platform Talkspace, which the city said will operate the service.

“Our young people should never feel alone,” Adams said during a news conference in Brooklyn. “We are here for them, and we want all young people to be able to lead happier lives, to grow and thrive. We want a city where we can raise healthy children and families, and it starts by using every form of technology and innovation available.”

Adams said the program was shaped by input from city students who took part in focus groups, and aims to address a pressing mental health crisis, exacerbated by the pandemic, among young people.

Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan called the creation of TeenSpace “necessary” and “essential,” while citing statistics that portray the dire state of young people’s mental health in the city.

“In 2021, nearly 40% of all New York City high schoolers said they felt so sad or hopeless during the past year that they stopped doing things that usually made them happy,” Dr. Vasan said.

He added that the percentage of local high schoolers who experience suicidal thoughts has increased by more than 30% over the past decade.

“The numbers do not lie, and it is time for us not to ignore what is in front of us,” Adams added.

Students who utilize the service and who need “extended” help will be referred to additional external resources, a news release from City Hall said.