With the dog days of summer fast approaching, many families across the nation are packing up books, binders and other school supplies in preparation for their return to the classroom. And while back-to-school season can be an exciting time, it can also be stressful – and even scary – for some young people.
The past few years have not been easy for our nation’s youth, and the losses and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, compounded by an increase in natural and man-made disasters, have led to increased anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions. . According to newly released data from SAMHSA (PDF | 2.6 MB), nearly 1 in 5 teens ages 12 to 17 reported a major depressive episode in the past year. In some cases, mental health and substance use issues coexisted. For example, our data reveal that adolescents who experienced a major depressive episode were more likely than their peers to have used illicit drugs (28.4% vs. 11.6%) or marijuana (21.9% vs. 8, 7%) in the past year. In addition, 1 in 8 youth in this age group reported serious suicidal thoughts, while more than 5 percent made a suicide plan and 3 percent (or 856,000 youth) attempted suicide in the past year. Research shows These mental health challenges can significantly impact young people’s ability to learn and develop.
However, there is some good news. SAMHSA data (PDF | 2.6 MB) reveals that an increasing number of teens – nearly 32% – received mental health treatment in the past year, up from nearly 30% reported the year before. This finding shows that more people are reaching out to get the help they need.
Given these trends, it’s important to include mental health and wellness tools and resources in your back-to-school checklist to prepare your children for the stressors and challenges they may face in the upcoming school year. SAMHSA is here to help.
SAMHSA’s commitment to youth mental health
Over the past three years, during the Biden-Harris administration, SAMHSA has invested more than $1.5 billion in youth mental health programs (FY 2022-FY 2024) aimed at promoting wellness and preventing, treating and mental health and substance use recovery from early childhood to young adulthood.
As part of this commitment, we have resources available to help foster youth behavioral wellness and readiness to learn, both inside and outside the classroom. Many of these tools are designed to help parents, caregivers, and other trusted adults talk to young people about mental illness and substance use, identify where additional support may be needed, and provide linkage to care. New to the mix is a newly published comprehensive report (PDF | 14.8 MB) with recommendations and best practices for safer social media and online platform use for young people.
Children’s Health and Safety on the Internet
Young people today are surrounded by digital technology and have grown up regularly engaging with social media and online platforms through computers, smartphones and other electronic devices. Research shows that around 95 percent of teenagers and 40 percent of children between the ages of eight and 12 use some form of social media. While digital technology can benefit young people’s wellbeing by facilitating learning or building community, it can also expose them to significant harm, including bullying, discrimination, exploitation and misinformation. For example, a 2022 survey of teenagers found that about half had experienced some form of cyberbullying.
In response to these concerns, the US government’s Task Force on Children’s Internet Health and Safety – co-selected by SAMHSA and the US Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) – released “Best Practices for families and industry guidance (PDF | 14.8 MB)” just last month.
Among its many recommendations, the report provides five key steps for parents and caregivers.
- Create a family media plan. Families can create a media plan using a tool designed to manage expectations and create an agreement between all members of a family or household about media use.
- Balance time with and without devices. Families can intentionally create screen-free times, such as during an evening meal and at bedtime. Instead of just focusing on reducing screen time, help your family think about what they want back—like quality family time, more sleep, movie time, playing with pets, or time outdoors.
- Talk about social media. Parents of youth of all ages should maintain open and nonjudgmental communication about media use. Starting with the youngest children, parents can position themselves as people who can help navigate social media by solving problems and separating the real from the edited content. As young people get older, they seek more autonomy—and with the increasing influence of their peers—so maintaining open communication is key.
- Set a good example. Parents are role models for their children. How parents use social media, how much time they spend on social media, and their emotional responses to social media use create a frame of reference for children. Be aware of what your children see you doing and consider describing why or how you use social media.
- Optimize your family’s online experience. It’s important to choose platforms and content that are developmentally appropriate for your child, and to set ground rules around where children can engage online. Privacy-preserving parental controls are important tools parents can use to support safe online experiences for children. Be aware of warning signs of problematic online use, including withdrawal from activities they previously enjoyed or changes in their routines, including eating patterns and sleeping habits.
Additional materials include brochures on age and activity cardsconversation starters (PDF | 196 KB), extensive content for teenagers and a resource summary for parents and carers. Another resource – the 5C of using multimedia – intended to help pediatricians and other providers talk to parents about kids and screens. Many of these materials were developed in coordination with the SAMHSA-sponsored Center of Excellence for Social Media and Youth Mental Health run by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Ensuring Positive Behavioral Health in Schools
While the tips above are specific to social media use, it’s important to remember that everyone – from parents to teachers, coaches to friends – can play an important role in supporting the overall well-being of young people and help ensure the well-being of young people. children in the coming school year. Schools are not just for academics. They can also provide a safe and supportive environment where students can access services and resources and feel comfortable approaching their mental health without fear of judgment.
Some students may experience symptoms of depression and anxiety as they return to the classroom, or may experiment with alcohol and other drugs – and it’s important to let them know that support is available. For example, SAMHSA’s “Talk. They Hear You.”® campaign helps adults prevent youth substance use by having meaningful, age-appropriate conversations about alcohol, nicotine and other drugs. “Speech. They hear you.” also includes Screen4Success, a free screening tool that can help identify needs related to developing mental health or substance use problems.
The back-to-school season can be stressful, but by focusing on mental health – and creating and maintaining open and healthy lines of communication – parents, caregivers and others can help young people navigate the transition successfully and thrive throughout. throughout the year. at home and at school.
For more tips on supporting wellness and resilience back to school, visit SAMHSA’s Back to School page. To learn how to get support for mental health conditions, visit FindSupport.gov. If you are looking for treatment services in your community, visit FindTreatment.gov. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for help 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Additional SAMHSA resources to support youth mental health
- Children’s Internet Health and Safety Task Force Report — This report provides recommendations and best practices for safer social media and online platform use for young people. The recommendations underscore the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to address the ongoing youth mental health crisis.
- Parent and caregiver resources — Talking to children about mental health can be an opportunity to provide them with information, support and guidance.
- StopBullying.Gov — Parents, school staff, and other adults in the community can help children prevent bullying by talking about it, creating a safe school environment, and creating a community-wide bullying prevention strategy.
- SchoolSafety.Gov — This resource provides schools and districts with helpful recommendations for creating a safe and supportive learning environment where students can thrive and grow.
- National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative — Parents and caregivers play an important role in helping children and adolescents recover from exposure to traumatic events. The following materials help parents and caregivers better understand trauma and how they can help.
- 988 Shop — SAMHSA provides 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline public awareness materials – including stickers, magnets, posters, wallet cards and more – that you can order and print to promote the resource.
