Young adults are experiencing elevated rates of mental health problems. Today’s college students were in, or starting, high school when the pandemic pivoted much of their educational and social lives to online experiences. The majority of today’s college students report struggling with substantial levels of stress. In fact, emotional stress is the most frequently cited reason for dropping out of college. OCMH’s newly released fact sheet provides a number of strategies to bolster college well-being:
- Increasing school belonging
- Building positive coping skills
- Campus-wide mental health screenings
- Training in suicide prevention
In particular, efforts to foster face-to-face interactions and build social connectedness on campus can pay off for student mental health.
See the Fact Sheet to learn more about this issue, what helps, and what we can do to improve college students’ mental health.
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Four students at Marquette University decided to do something to help Black undergraduates build a sense of community and help with their mental health. They re-initiated Black Mindz, a club providing a thriving hub for Black students. Read their story in our newest Showcasing Solutions.
In Showcasing Solutions, OCMH shares inspirational stories of good things happening in children’s mental health in Wisconsin. See all our Showcasing Solutions.
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Gov. Evers announced 2025 as the Year of the Kid at his 2025 State of the State address on January 22, 2025. He said: “...Making sure our kids are healthy—physically and mentally—is a crucial part of improving outcomes in our classrooms. But we have to connect the dots between school achievement and the challenges our kids are facing at home and in our communities.”
Gov. Evers laid out investments and policies to support children and their families, including an array of proposals to support schools, including expanding mental health resources, supporting child care for families, and implementing better gun violence prevention measures. Additionally, he said he would propose ensuring that children have access to food and clean water by reintroducing his “Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids” plan, which would provide free lunch and breakfast in schools as well as addressing the issue of lead in water.
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OCMH Data Bites Now Available
OCMH is committed to providing relevant data on important children’s mental health issues and concerns. In our new Data Bites, we provide a quick look at a children’s mental health data point. These are meant to be bite-sized, easy to understand, and shared. See our Data Bites.
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OCMH 2024 Annual Report
OCMH released our 2024 Annual Report in a briefing on January 10, 2025. Recognizing our 10th Anniversary in 2024, the report provides a 10-year reflection on children’s mental health in Wisconsin, looking at key data trends in children’s well-being over the decade.
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Six new short videos help parents and caregivers understand and respond better to their very young children. Developed by the Wisconsin Alliance for Infant Mental Health, the videos cover the following topics:
- Ripple effect – the effects of relationships on relationships
- Goodness of fit – child’s temperament
- Attachment and attunement
- Behavior is a communication – how we interpret what children are doing matters
- Regulate and recover – how we can help young children regulate their big feelings
- Pause and ponder – tantrums
See the videos here.
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“Student Perspectives on Mental Health” is a video featuring Wisconsin youth sharing insights on what mental health means to them, emphasizing the importance of self-care practices and community support in maintaining their wellness. They also highlight how educators and schools play a crucial role in fostering positive mental health. Produced by the Department of Public Instruction, the video shows the power of young people in using their voice to promote awareness, reduce stigma, and improve mental health literacy.
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Transforming Maternal Health. In January, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the 15 states, including Wisconsin, that were selected to participate in the Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) Model that aims to improve health outcomes and foster a safe and supportive environment for mothers and infants enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). TMaH will provide access to care and resources to address individual physical health, mental health, and social needs during pregnancy and postpartum. The Medicaid agencies for each selected state will receive targeted technical support in three key areas: access to care, infrastructure, and workforce capacity; quality improvement and safety; and whole-person care delivery. TMaH launched on January 1, 2025 and will run for 10 years. Additional information about TMaH can be found on the model webpage.
Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention. On January 14, Governor Evers, joined by violence prevention advocates, local law enforcement, elected officials, students, and community members, signed Executive Order #254, creating a statewide Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) and announced he is directing $10 million for the office to begin its work and administer grants supporting violence and gun violence prevention efforts statewide. The Governor’s announcement builds upon his and the Evers Administration’s long-term efforts to address crime, prevent gun violence, and bolster efforts keep kids, families, schools, and communities safe. Furthermore, his 2025-27 Executive Budget will provide his most robust and comprehensive gun safety reform efforts to date in addition to providing sustainable, ongoing state funding to make the Wisconsin OVP a permanent office in state government.
“Just weeks ago, we had a heartbreaking, deadly school shooting at Abundant Life Christian School here in Madison. As a father, a grandfather, and as governor, it is unthinkable that a kid and an educator woke up and went to school that morning and never came home. That should never happen. Not to any kid, not to any educator, not to any person or family—not in this state or anywhere else in this country,” said Gov. Evers at a press conference in Madison.
Among other critical responsibilities, the Office will work to:
- Connect the dots between state and local government agencies, including law enforcement agencies, to ensure a whole-of-government approach to prevent violence, including gun violence statewide;
- Support and provide technical assistance to local violence prevention and intervention efforts;
- Administer and award grants to school districts, firearm dealers, law enforcement agencies, non-profits, and government agencies to support violence reduction and prevention initiatives;
- Develop public education campaigns to promote safer communities; and
- Identify opportunities to improve statewide policies or laws.
Despite the fact that a majority of Wisconsinites, including gun owners, support the implementation of commonsense measures like universal background checks (79%) and extreme risk protection orders (81%), the Legislature has refused to take up these measures that would improve safety and reduce anxiety for children in our state.
For more on eligible activities for OVP funds and statistics on violence in Wisconsin, see the Governor’s press release.
Medicaid Coverage for Postpartum Care – Extension to 1 year. Senate Bill 23 would allow new mothers who are already eligible for BadgerCare (Medicaid) uninterrupted health care coverage for a full 12-months, aligning her coverage with her baby’s coverage.
Maternal morbidity and mortality are serious public health concerns. In Wisconsin, 73% of pregnancy-related deaths occur postpartum. The most common causes of pregnancy-related deaths are mental health conditions, hemorrhage, and cardiomyopathy. New mothers are also dying from cancer, embolism, infection, and neurologic conditions. Many of these deaths are preventable. Babies whose mothers suffer from untreated postpartum depression also suffer immensely.
The Senate Health Committee will hold a hearing on Senate Bill 23 on Wednesday, February 12th at 12:30 pm. This bill was introduced by Senators James (R-Thorp) and Felzkowski (R-Tomahawk).
Gender-Affirming Care. Attorney General Josh Kaul joined a coalition of 15 attorneys general on February 5th to reaffirm their commitment to protecting access to gender-affirming care. In their statement the state attorneys general asserted that they stand firmly in support of healthcare policies that respect the dignity of all people and are right on both the science and the law. Health care decisions should be made by patients, families, and doctors. In states that have passed anti-transgender laws pertaining to youth, research shows swift and substantial increases in suicide attempts by transgender and non-binary youth. More.
Lead Exposure Definition. The Department of Health Services has advanced administrative rules that would modify the definitions of lead poisoning or lead exposure to correspond to the Centers for Disease Control’s 2021 recommendations on the blood lead level at which intervention should occur. Under the rule, DHS 163, 181, and 182 would be amended to correspond to the new blood lead reference value. A virtual hearing on these changes is scheduled for February 28th at 1 pm and comments may be submitted here through February 28.
February is Black History Month
February gives us time to highlight Black history and celebrate the stories and contributions of Black Americans across Wisconsin and our nation. This year’s theme is African Americans and Labor that highlights the profound contributions of Black Americans and explores the various roles they have played throughout history—from agricultural labor to professional achievements. Learn more about Black history in Wisconsin.
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Raise Your Voice for Medicaid
Federal budget discussions are underway and cuts to Medicaid programs may be on the table. This means it’s an important time to make sure elected officials understand how Medicaid funded programs support families. Changes at the federal level may impact programs like CLTS, IRIS, the Birth to Three Program, Family Care and others – programs deeply rooted in Medicaid funding. It is important to let your Congressperson and our state Senators know how important these programs are. Here is what you can do:
- Find your Federal Legislators – Go to Congress.gov to know who they are and how to reach them.
- Call or email – Be specific about how these programs provide support. Medicaid Matters to Me can help.
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Wisconsin Out of School Time Alliance Funding Opportunity
The New York Life Foundation's 2025 Aim High grant competition is now open for afterschool, summer, or expanded learning programs serving middle school youth living in under-resourced communities. Programs will be selected for grants based on their ability to help youth transition successfully to ninth grade and how they provide academic, social, and emotional supports for youth. Eligible programs can apply for a $20,000 or a $100,000 grant. Learn more.
Fear Spreads Regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Entering Schools
The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is working to understand the impact of recent Executive Orders on schools and libraries across the state. See their webpage providing information on legal rights, resources for actions schools can take, and trauma sensitive practices.
Schools Can Sign Up for the YRBS until February 17th
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) monitors health-risk behaviors of students and is part of a decades-long national effort. The survey has been conducted in Wisconsin since 1993 primarily among high school students, but also some middle school students. It is coordinated by the Department of Public Instruction and produces a number of valuable reports covering mental health, teen drinking, smoking, vaping, and other risky behaviors. The reports also provides critical information on student hunger, exposure to violence, and supportive relationships.
The survey is administered by schools (public and private). Individual school results are not shared publicly and are not used to compare schools. Results can be shared at a county level when enough schools in counties participate and provides a local snapshot that may differ from the statewide perspective. Many school districts, counties, and communities use their data to chart community needs and projects. The YRBS is a foundational source of data for the Office of Children's Mental Health.
Speak to your local school district administration to find out if they participate in the YRBS. If they do not, encourage them to do so. Registration for the 2025 YRBS is currently open until February 17, 2025.
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Mobile Narcotic Treatment Program/Opioid Treatment Program Grant Opportunity
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services Division of Care and Treatment Services is seeking applications for a contract for a mobile narcotic treatment program/opioid treatment program to expand coverage of opioid treatment services in underserved and high-need geographic areas of the date. Learn more.
AHW Childhood Behavioral Health Survey
Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin (AHW) Endowment invites childhood behavioral health networks to help them assess the current landscape of childhood behavioral health resources in Wisconsin by taking this survey. The information will help them identify strategies, interventions, successes, and challenges related to childhood behavioral health in Wisconsin.
Visit our website:children.wi.gov
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