The pandemic significantly worsened student mental health, leading to a widespread increase in depression and anxiety. In 2026, mental health in kids, teens, and young adults is steadily showing signs of improvement. This is precisely why we must keep investing in our children, not pull back.
Improvement doesn't mean the risk is managed.
Even now, there's a 16-year-old who has trouble getting out of bed for their first class, and a college student who's stopped answering messages from friends and family. While statistics do show improvement, millions of youth are still struggling. Nearly a third of high school students have reported ongoing feelings of isolation, sadness, or hopelessness.
For most people, their first significant mental health challenges surface during adolescence and early adulthood. Failing to offer them adequate support and resources during their formative years means they'll likely face lifelong challenges.
A closer look at the numbers
It's genuinely encouraging to see these figures heading downwards. There are less teens experiencing hopelessness and sadness then there were in 2021. According to the CDC youth risk behavior survey from 2025 high school students experiencing hopelessness and sadness decreased from 42% in 2021 to 33% in 2025. Students who thought about suicide dropped from 22% to 14% (NPR).
Those averages hide a lot. Among girls, 43% still report persistent sadness or hopelessness, compared with 24% of male students (States Newsroom). In a federal survey from 2025, research data showed that about 1 in 10 teens ages 12 to 17 had seriously thought about suicide in the past year, and about 3% had attempted it. The survey also included 'self-harm without suicidal intent' for the first time, and tragically 11% of teens said they had done this to themselves in the past year (Jed Foundation).
What we can clearly see in the data, is that there is a significant lack of consideration for the mental health needs of young adults.
College students between 18 to 25 contend with more mental illness concerns than any other adult demographic. Approximately 29% of young adults experienced a mental illness in the past year and 11% thought about suicide (Jed Foundation). This is a challenging period for many new adults who are under pressure to begin a career, gain autonomy, and juggle college exams and other life-altering expectations.
Crisis support is essential.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline launched in July 2022. Through the end of 2024, suicide deaths among people ages 15 to 34 were 11% lower than pre-988 trends predicted, or roughly 4,372 lives. The biggest drops came in the states where people used 988 the most (Pew).
People are using it.
Since July 2022, 988 has handled about 26.2 million calls, texts and chats. In June 2026 alone it received more than 770,000 contacts, nearly double the June 2023 total (Senator Booker). Texts grew by about 260% between July 2022 and September 2025. Plenty of teens would rather type than talk, so that growth matters (Legis1).
988 still has real gaps. Here are a few of the worst ones:
- Staffing. In a SAMHSA survey, 71% of crisis centers reported trouble hiring and keeping staff (Pew).
- Funding. Only 12 states passed a phone tax to pay for 988 the way most states pay for 911. The rest rely on budget decisions that can change from year to year (KFF).
- Follow-up. Once a call ends, most centers have no way of knowing whether the caller got the care they needed or how they're doing (Pew).
- Additional Resources. A phone hotline can only do so much, people in crisis also need someone who can consistently talk to them as they work through issues, short-term crisis beds they can access, access to medical care under a physicians professional guidance, and someone who follows up for a few months (or even years) afterward. All of these things are in short supply.
Resources that work
We should acknowledge the importance of crisis support for our youth, but we must also strive to create a future where they don't require it.
Bring support into schools. More than 70% of youth who get mental health care, get it at school (Education Commission of the States). However, most schools don't have nearly enough professional coverage to provide it. In the 2023 to 2024 school year there was only an estimated one school psychologist for every 1,065 students. The recommended ratio is one for every 500 (K-12 Dive).
Help students feel like they belong. Students who feel connected to the adults and classmates at their school are less likely to struggle with their mental health (NPR).
Plan ahead for a mental health crisis. Studies have shown that when individuals created a safety plan while speaking to 988 they reported the call being helpful and prevented them from acting on suicidal ideation. (Pew). When you're feeling down, it's good to have a plan for handling those feelings in a healthy way.
Make it easy to ask for help. In 2025, more than 42% of teens with major depression received no mental health help. Among teens who wanted treatment and didn't get it, 87% said they would just handle it silently, 63% worried others would judge them and 57% worried their information wouldn't stay private (Jed Foundation).
What you can do
Mental health improved among youth because governments, schools and communities put money and effort into it. If the money and effort stops, the progress we made will stop too.
- Policymakers can keep funding 988 and other local crisis centers. States without a 988 phone fee should consider passing one, and mobile crisis teams need steady funding of their own.
- Schools can hire skilled counselors, psychologists, social workers, and hold staff member training so that they notice when students are struggling and know exactly what to do to help them thrive.
- Colleges and employers can make counseling and crisis resources easy to access, especially for students and workers in their late teens and early twenties.
- Parents should check in with their kids often, and not only when something seems wrong. If your child tells you they're not okay, help them find support and resources.
- Friends should help & encourage each other. If you're worried about a friend who is struggling and refuses to seek help, you can always reach out to 988 yourself and ask them for advice.
We can do better
Our youth are doing better than they were a few years ago, and that's worth celebrating. Yet a third of high schoolers still feel persistently sad or hopeless, so our work remains. The following information is good to have handy.
Help is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988, or by chatting at 988lifeline.org.
For the crisis text line, text: HOME to 741741.
LGBTQIA+ young people can reach 'The Trevor Project' 24/7 by calling 1-866-488-7386 or texting START to 678-678.
If you or a loved one are in immediate physical danger, call 911.
Sources
Youth Health in Focus: Mental Health and Suicide Risks. CDC, updated Aug. 14, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/yrbs/youth-health-in-focus/mental-health.html
Latest CDC report on youth behavior has some good news, and MAHA vibes. NPR via KAXE, Sept. 23, 2026. https://www.kaxe.org/news/2026-09-23/latest-cdc-report-on-youth-behavior-has-some-good-news-and-maha-vibes
CDC's latest youth behavior report offers a narrower look at teen health. States Newsroom via Florida Phoenix, Sept. 2026. https://floridaphoenix.com/?p=244278
SAMHSA Releases Annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health. SAMHSA, July 2026. https://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/press-announcements/20260727/samhsa-releases-annual-national-survey-on-drug-use-and-health
New Data on Teen and Young Adult Mental Health: What's Improving, and What Still Needs Attention. The Jed Foundation, Aug. 7, 2026. https://jedfoundation.org/new-data-on-teen-and-young-adult-mental-health-whats-improving-and-what-still-needs-attention/
Emergency Department Visits for Suspected Suicide Attempts, United States, 2021-2025. CDC, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, June 25, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/75/wr/mm7524a1.htm
Booker, Kennedy Announce Bipartisan 988 Day Resolution. Office of Sen. Cory Booker, Sept. 2026. https://www.booker.senate.gov/news/press/booker-kennedy-announce-bipartisan-988-day-resolution
4 Years Later, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Shows Successes and Opportunities for Improvement. Pew Charitable Trusts, July 24, 2026. https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2026/07/24/4-years-later-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifeline-shows-successes-and-opportunities-for-improvement
988 Lifeline Struggles to Keep Up as Suicide Crisis Deepens. Legis1 (summary of GAO report GAO-26-108114), July 13, 2026. https://legis1.com/news/988-lifeline-suicide-crisis-struggles-to-keep-up
988 Enters Its Fourth Year as Demand Grows and the Mental Health and Substance Use Landscape Shifts. KFF, July 14, 2026. https://www.kff.org/mental-health/988-enters-its-fourth-year-as-demand-grows-and-the-mental-health-and-substance-use-landscape-shifts/
As HHS Restores the LGBTQ 988 Suicide and Crisis Line Under Pressure From Congress, Questions Remain. KFF, Oct. 5, 2026. https://www.kff.org/lgbtq/as-hhs-restores-the-lgbtq-988-suicide-and-crisis-line-under-pressure-from-congress-questions-remain/
Education Department brings back mental health grants. K-12 Dive, Sept. 29, 2025. https://www.k12dive.com/news/education-department-school-mental-health-grant-application/761271/
Recruiting and Retaining School-Based Mental Health Professionals. Education Commission of the States. https://www.ecs.org/recruiting-and-retaining-school-based-mental-health-professionals/