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A recent survey conducted by Leidos found that while younger prospective clearance seekers have less stigma around mental health, many still mistrust how mental health disclosures are evaluated during the security clearance process. The survey revealed that nearly half of respondents believed that having current mental health issues would hurt their chances at a clearance. Additionally, 15 percent of prospective clearance seekers surveyed said they had avoided seeking treatment for mental health issues due to concerns about reporting it during the investigation process. To address these challenges, Leidos recommends that leaders lead by example, the clearance investigation system move towards continuous evaluation, recruiters and background investigators receive comprehensive training on mental health, and the U.S. government establish clear criteria for mental health evaluation. [Extracted from the article]