Working toward the day when no teen turns to suicide.
Nationwide, there has been a steep decline in teens’ mental health. In December 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a rare Surgeon General’s Advisory to highlight the urgent need to address the nation’s youth mental health crisis. And earlier that same year, the CDC released its first comprehensive study of the consequences of COVID-19 on the mental health and well-being of adolescents. The report found that 37.1% of high school students experienced poor mental health, 44.2% experienced feelings of depression, 19.9% had seriously considered attempting suicide, and 9% had attempted suicide.
But there is hope. Another report by the CDC released in 2021 found that teens who feel connected to peers and adults at school have long-lasting positive mental health outcomes.
Our Minds Matter (OMM) supports a network of 140 mental health clubs in middle and high schools that promote school-wide social connectedness, encourage help-seeking behavior and the use of positive coping skills among teens, all while serving as a platform for student leaders to build confidence and take on their important role in mental health advocacy. In the 2022-23 school year, we will reach 3,000 students directly in their schools with critical mental health resources -- and we will indirectly serve upwards of 75,000 students.
Teens want to support each other. They care for one another, and sometimes all it takes is providing them with the opportunity to do so. Help us create that opportunity for more teens by donating today!