Schools

NPR -  Mental health in high school students has largely worsened in the past decade, except between 2021 and 2023, when things slightly improved. This is according to a new CDC report, which features results from the latest Youth Risk Behavior Survey, conducted every two years. Even though overall reports of poor mental health are down, Kathleen Ethier, director of the CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health, says we’re not out of the woods yet. 

🧠 Girls and LGBTQ+ students are still more likely to report feelings of sadness and hopelessness. In 2023, 53% of girls reported this compared to 57% in 2021.
🧠 The percentage of Black students who said they had attempted suicide in the past year decreased from 14% to 10% within the two-year period. The portion of Black and Hispanic students who made a suicide plan also dropped.
🧠 Substance use has declined. The share of students who reported drinking alcohol fell from 35% in 2013 to 22% in 2023. Reported marijuana use fell from 23% to 17%.
🧠 The improvements are likely due to recent efforts to address teen mental health after the pandemic began, Ethier says.
🧠 Reports of violence experienced in schools, including being threatened or injured with a weapon, have increased.
🧠 Two out of 10 girls reported experiencing sexual violence and 1 in 10 said they have been forced to have sex.