Abstract: Maturity models have emerged as valuable tools for strengthening institutional performance in complex policy environments. They have been applied across diverse domains, including tax administration, software development, digital transformation, cybersecurity, public governance, gender balance, and fight against illicit financial flows (IFFs). Addressing such multidimensional challenges requires institutions that can systematically assess their capabilities, identify gaps, and continuously improve their performance through capacity building. This is precisely the role that maturity models are designed to play. Yet, the attributes that make these models effective have rarely been articulated as a generic, reusable and versatile framework. This paper attempts to bridge that gap and goes on to show its versatility by applying the framework to the global mental health challenges of the adolescents. 

Mental health and well-being are specifically included in Target 3.4 of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda, and indicator 3.4.2 tracks progress using the suicide mortality rate, establishing mental well-being as a fundamental human right and a core pillar of international development. 

Part I of this paper positions the maturity model as a self-assessment diagnostic cum quality improvement (QI) tool and defines the attributes of a generic model: defining a problem statement, multiple capability dimensions to resolve the problem, staged maturity levels, observable indicators at each dimension-maturity level intersection, and multiple methods of maturity level determination. It is jurisdiction-neutral and hence the blueprint can be adapted locally by any national or subnational entity/institution to identify capacity gaps and draw action plans for capacity development. 

Part II of this paper applies this generic framework to address the worldwide challenge of rising adolescent mental health concerns: loneliness, depression, anxiety and suicide, compounded by the algorithmic shaping of adolescent attention and presents a ten-dimensional blueprint for an Adolescent Mental Health Wellness Maturity Model (AMH-WMM) with four levels of maturity. Further granularity can be added to this basic model by adding sub-dimensions to make it more precise in capturing the nuances of the global mental health challenge.

Part III of this paper chalks out an Implementation strategy.