An official website of the United States government
Investing in Schools is a Lifeline for Struggling Youth
Increasing numbers of high school students across the U.S. are in distress. Reports of violence, sadness, and suicide risk are growing and widespread.
School prevention programs, like CDC’s What Works In Schools, can be a lifeline for youth. But CDC’s program only reaches a small percentage of students. Scaling up these efforts is critical to protecting the Nation’s youth.
CDC Data Identify Emerging Threats
Data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey show that all youth are struggling with threats to their health and well-being. Many of these trends have worsened over the last decade.
Reports from 2021 show particularly stark increases in mental health challenges, experiences of violence, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors—especially among girls and teens who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ+).
- Almost 3 in 5 experienced persistent sadness or hopelessness in the past year—a nearly 60% increase over the past decade.
- More than 1 in 4 seriously considered attempting suicide—up nearly 60% from a decade ago.
- 1 in 5 experienced sexual violence in the past year, and more than 1 in 10 (14%) had ever been raped—up 24% since 2019.
- More than half experienced poor mental health during the past month.
- More than one-fifth attempted suicide in the past year.
- American Indian or Alaska Native students were more likely to have ever been forced to have sex.
- Hispanic and multiracial students were more likely to report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.
- Reported suicide attempts were highest and worsened among Black youth.
Schools Are the Right Place to Build Resilience
More than 95% of U.S. youth spend much of their daily lives in school. While the primary goal is academic learning, schools can also be a place for the skill-building and support students need to prevent and reduce the negative impact of violence and other trauma and improve mental health.
- Show students there are safe and trusted adults around them—like mentors, trained teachers, and staff—who care about them, their well-being, and their success.
- Equip students with essential skills like understanding and ensuring true consent, managing emotions, and asking for what they need.
- Connect students to their classmates and communities through school-based clubs and community outreach.
To Support Our Students, We Must Support Our Schools
CDC’s evidence-based What Works In Schools program has demonstrated impact on health behaviors and experiences that can help schools reverse the negative trends affecting youth.
- Make school environments safer and more supportive, with a strong focus on improving school connectedness—a sense among all students that they are cared for, supported, and belong at school.
- Connect young people and their families to needed services at school or in the community—including mental health and substance abuse prevention services.
- Implement quality health education that is medically accurate, developmentally appropriate, culturally and LGBTQ+ inclusive, and grounded in science.
With a relatively small investment, CDC’s program can make a profound difference in the lives of youth.
Schools that participate in the What Works In Schools program have seen improvements in a wide range of health behaviors, including sexual behaviors, substance use, and sexual violence.
However, the program currently reaches only about 8% of the 26 million middle and high school students nationwide.
Although scaling up the program will take time and will not alleviate all difficulties young people face, every student deserves to attend a school that makes them feel safe and connected.
This has lifelong benefits for their health and wellbeing. The level of distress youth are collectively experiencing calls for action.