Introduction
Youth Help-Seeking Around Mental Health: Promoting early identification through school-based mental health education is the first study using data from the Erika’s Lighthouse Data Center, which is making school mental health data available to any state, district or school.
Adolescents are experiencing mental distress at significant rates. The latest data from the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Study reports that 40% of high school students have experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the past year, up from 28% in 2011 (1). Over 90% of individuals who die by suicide have an underlying mental health issue (2). Among U.S. youth ages 10-18 years, suicide is the second leading cause of death (3). There are specific subgroups of youth who are more at risk for suicide, including youth who are Indigenous or Female, identify as LGBTQ+ or have experienced racism (1).
This means that early identification and intervention of mental health challenges is a key preventative factor for suicide.
Erika’s Lighthouse knows that young people, when equipped with the right tools, are capable of supporting their mental health and advocating for their health. Youth help-seeking and self-reporting is a key factor in supporting teens’ mental health. However, as this report will demonstrate, many young people are uncomfortable talking about mental health. It is important to identify ways to reduce this discomfort and help teens engage in meaningful conversations with trusted adults around mental health.
Erika’s Lighthouse wants to help students identify trusted adults and increase their comfort level with speaking to those trusted adults. This study was completed to evaluate Erika’s Lighthouse programs, collect valuable insights into teens’ perspectives on help-seeking and trusted adults, and discover new ways to increase help-seeking.
Summary
Findings
1: Universal Programs Work
12% of students were more comfortable talking with a trusted adult, about their mental health, at school after completing the Erika’s Lighthouse program.
2: Gaps
93% of students identified a Teacher as a trusted adult, but only 50% of them were comfortable talking with a trusted adult, about their mental health, at school.
3: Obstacles
Students that reported being uncomfortable talking to a trusted adult fell by 23% from pre to post program.
4: Title I Schools
Students in Title I schools were 7% less likely to identify a teacher as a trusted adult, compared to Non-Title I Schools.
5: Race & Ethnicity
The gains from pre-program to post-program were more substantial for students in predominantly-Black and Hispanic schools, by 9% and 11%, respectively, compared to 7% for students in predominantly-White schools.
6: Families Are The Most Important Trusted Adults
96% of students identified a Parent or Grandparent as a trusted adult, and over 75% of students were comfortable talking to a trusted adult about their mental health at home. This is, by far, the most important group for young people to turn to if they are in need.
Recommendations
1: Implement Effective Education & Prevention Programs
Every school should have Tier-1, universal, evidence-informed mental health programs.
2: Go Deeper: Promote an Inclusive School Culture
Schools must take a comprehensive approach to youth mental health that educates and engages students, families and school professionals.
3: Respect Student Voice
Fostering meaningful opportunities for students to participate, share and positively impact their school communities is vital to ensure efforts are effective.
4: Community-Based Organizations Need to Start the Conversation
Community-based organizations, like after-school programs or sports clubs, can play a vital role in advancing conversations around mental health.
5: Community-wide, Comprehensive Approaches are Needed
A community-wide and comprehensive approach is essential to meaningfully address these challenges to support young people from early childhood and beyond.
6: Diversity and Representation Is Vital
Every young person is different and we should recognize, celebrate and include differences in our programs. And, while every young person is different – so is every classroom, community-based organization, school professional and family.
7: Partnerships Are Vital
School-based programs have a unique opportunity to help identify gaps in their own offerings and foster impactful partnerships that can fill those gaps, improve their own efforts and improve school cultures. There are also opportunities for providers and community-based organizations to work more closely together to ensure alignment.
8: Families Must Be Informed and Supportive
It is important to recognize that families are young people’s most-identified trusted adults and that most students are comfortable talking about mental health at home.
Citations
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2013–2023. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/yrbs/dstr/index.html
- Geneviève Arsenault-Lapierre, Caroline Kim, and Gustavo Turecki. November 2004. Suicide Risk and Mental Disorders. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC534107/
- Ivey-Stephenson, A. Z., Demissie, Z., Crosby, A. E., Stone, D. M., Gaylor, E., Wilkins, N., Lowry, R. & Brown, M. (2020, August 21). Suicidal ideation and behaviors among high school students-Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2019. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 69(1), 47-55. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/su/pdfs/su6901a6-H.pdf
