Date: August 22, 2024

Categories: Mental Health, Families & Caregivers

As the dog days of summer draw to a sweltering close, many families across the nation are gathering books, binders, and other school supplies in preparation for a return to the classroom. And while the back-to-school season can be an exciting time, it can also be stressful - and even scary - for some young people.

The last few years have not been easy on our nation's youth, and the losses and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, compounded by an uptick in natural and human-caused disasters, have led to increased anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. According to recently published SAMHSA data (PDF | 2.6 MB), nearly 1 in 5 adolescents ages 12 to 17 reported a major depressive episode in the past year. In some cases, there were co-occurring mental health and substance use issues. 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. Additionally, 1 in 8 youth in this age group reported serious thoughts of suicide, 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 a youth's ability to learn and develop.

However, there is some good news. SAMHSA data (PDF | 2.6 MB) reveal that an increasing number of adolescents - nearly 32 percent - received mental health treatment in the past year, which is higher than the nearly 30 percent reported in the prior year. This finding indicates that more people are reaching out to get the help they need.

Given these trends, it's critical to include mental health and wellness tools and resources on the back-to-school checklist to help prepare your children for the stressors and challenges they may face in the school year ahead. SAMHSA is here to help.

SAMHSA's Commitment to Youth Mental Health

In 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 the prevention, treatment, and recovery of mental health and substance use 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 in - and out of - the classroom. Many of these tools are designed to help parents, caregivers, and other trusted adults talk to youth about mental illness and substance use, identify where additional support may be needed, and provide connection to care. New to the mix is a recently released comprehensive report (PDF | 14.8 MB) with recommendations and best practices for safer social media and online platform use for youth.

Kids Online Health and Safety

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 indicates that approximately 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 well-being, by facilitating learning or creating a community, it can also expose them to significant harm, including bullying, discrimination, exploitation, and misinformation. For example, a 2022 survey of teens found that about half experienced some form of cyberbullying.

In response to these concerns, the U.S. government's Kids Online Health and Safety Task Force - co-led by SAMHSA and the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) - released "Best Practices for Families and Guidance for Industry (PDF | 14.8 MB)" just last month.

Among the many recommendations, the report provides five overarching steps for parents and caregivers.

• Build a family media plan. Families can build a media plan using a tool designed to manage expectations and create an agreement across 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 during bedtime hours. Rather than just focusing on reducing screen time, help your family think about what they want to get back-such as family quality time, more sleep, time at the movies, playing with pets or time outdoors.
• Talk about social media. Parents of youth of all ages should maintain open and non-judgmental communication about media use. Starting with younger children, parents can position themselves as individuals who can help navigate social media by problem-solving and separating real from edited content. As youth grow older, they seek more autonomy-and with the increasing influence of their peers- so staying connected with open communication is key.
• Set a good example. Parents are role models for their children. How parents use social media, the time they spend on social media, and their emotional reactions to social media use creates a framework of reference for children. Be mindful of what your children see you doing and consider describing why or how you are using social media.
• Optimize your family's online experience. It is important to choose platforms and content that are developmentally appropriate for your child, as well as to set ground rules around whom children can engage with online. Privacy-preserving age-appropriate parental controls are important tools parents can use to help support safe online experiences for children. Be aware of warning signs of problematic online use including withdrawing from activities they previously enjoyed or changes in their routine including eating patterns and sleep habits.

Additional materials include age-based handouts and activity cards, conversation-starters (PDF | 196 KB), expanded content for teens, and a compendium of resources for parents and caregivers. Another resource - the 5Cs of Media Use - is 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-funded Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health run by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Ensuring Positive Behavioral Health in Schools

While the above tips 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 youth wellness overall, and helping to ensure children thrive in the upcoming 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 reaching out about their mental health without fear of judgement.

Some students might exhibit symptoms of depression and anxiety as they return to the classroom, or they may experiment with alcohol and other drugs - and it is 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. "Talk. They Hear You." also includes Screen4Success, a free screening tool that can help identify where needs related to developing mental health or substance use problems may exist.

The back-to-school season can be stressful, but by focusing on mental health - and establishing and maintaining open and healthy lines of communication - parents, caregivers, and others can help youth navigate the transition successfully, and thrive throughout the year, both at home and in school.

For more tips on supporting back-to-school wellness and resiliency, visit SAMHSA's Back to School page. To learn how to get support for mental health conditions, visit FindSupport.gov. If you're looking for treatment services in your community, visit FindTreatment.gov. If you or someone you know is in 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

• Kids Online Health and Safety Task Force Report - This report provides recommendations and best practices for safer social media and online platform use for youth. 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 kids prevent bullying by talking about it, building a safe school environment, and creating a community-wide bullying prevention strategy.
• SchoolSafety.Gov - This resource provides schools and districts with actionable recommendations to create 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 Store - 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.