OCMH Senior Research Analyst Amy Marsman spotlights recent articles, resources, and research findings impacting youth mental health.
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Impacts of Federal Tax Credits
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 temporarily expanded the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), two of the nation’s most important federal tax benefits for low-income families. Examining the effects of these expansions on child poverty is critical, as poverty has lasting consequences for children’s health, education, and long-term opportunities.
A new report from the National Academies’ Board on Children, Youth, and Families, in partnership with the Committee on National Statistics, provides an in-depth, evidence-based assessment of these 2021 policy changes. Using data analysis, expert review, and listening sessions with parents and stakeholders, the committee found that the fully refundable CTC and monthly advance payments in 2021 were central to reducing child poverty, cutting rates nearly in half. Together, the 2021 CTC and EITC lifted more than 2 million children above the poverty line with outcomes differing across family types, racial and ethnic groups, and immigrant households. The report also underscores the importance of continued research on participation gaps, employment impacts, and interactions with other pandemic-era supports to guide future efforts to reduce child poverty. Both a report and highlights summarizing findings are available.
School Connectedness Empowers Students to Move Beyond Bystanding
This study investigated the associations between school connectedness and willingness to intervene within the context of anti-bullying climate. Using a longitudinal design, data were collected from 4,718 adolescents across 36 middle schools in the U.S.
The findings show that anti-bullying climate and school connectedness were positively related to students' willingness to intervene in bullying. The study highlights the role of school belonging and social connectedness in empowering bystanders and promoting positive bystander behaviors. The authors conclude that the whole school needs to work collaboratively in creating and sustaining a safe, caring, and supportive school environment, which could empower bystanders to reduce bullying.
Culturally Responsive Care Helps Build Resilience and Belonging
In a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the authors detail the need for mental health services that are responsive to a young person’s identity and cultural background as they promote well-being, resilience, and a sense of belonging to their larger community. The report also provides examples of effective programs and offers policy recommendations.
Nearly 4 in 10 College Students Accessed Mental Health Services
The Healthy Minds Study issued their 2024-25 Data Report on college mental health. 37% of all respondents said they had accessed therapy or counseling in the past 12 months. The study includes data from over 84,000 undergraduate and graduate students at 135 colleges and universities collected between September 2024 and May 2025. The annual study provides a snapshot of student well-being across various institution types, sizes, and degree programs. The results show there are elevated rates of mental health concerns among college students who reported moderate or severe symptoms: 37% depression; 32% anxiety; 28% eating disorder; and 25% self-harm. Nearly 7 in 10 students said their mental health impacted their academic performance.
Mental Health on College Campuses – Students of Color
New research findings from a national survey by The Steve Fund, in collaboration with the Lumina Foundation, show that more than half of college students of color rate their mental health as good or excellent: 50% of Black, 54% of Asian, 66% of Indigenous, and 60% of Hispanic students reported positive mental health. About four in 10 white students (44%) rated their current mental health as good or excellent. The majority of students also say their campus supports a sense of belonging. In 2024, student awareness of campus mental health resources increased compared to 2017. Both the full report and a takeaways and action steps document are available.
Parent-owned guns most often used in youth suicide; majority unlocked and loaded
In a retrospective cohort study of 1,021 firearm suicides by youth ages 10-24, researchers found that the gun used in child suicide (ages 10-17) was 10 times more likely to be owned by a parent compared to suicides by young adults (ages 20-24 years). The study also found that the parent-own guns used in youth suicide were often stored unlocked and loaded, making them easier to access by youth. Among 18-24-year-olds, 69% owned the firearm and 14% used a firearm owned by a parent. About 70% of all suicides occurred in a home or apartment, according to research. The study used data from nine states reported to the CDC National Violent Death Reporting System between 2018-2021.
State-level Data Visualization on Child Welfare in the U.S.
Child Trends has updated a comprehensive child welfare data interactive with 2022 and 2023 national and state data on foster care, relative caregiving, permanency, and older youth. The tool provides information on national trends and profiles for all 50 states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The data show that from 2016 to 2023, the number of children entering foster care in the U.S. decreased by 36%. This continuous seven-year decrease is likely due, in part, to shifts in policy and practice aimed at preventing unnecessary foster care entries. While the number of children who were maltreated has declined in recent years, Wisconsin’s data reveal that 21% of child maltreatment in the state is sexual abuse, twice the rate of the nation.
Wisconsin Social Determinants of Health Dashboard
211 Wisconsin, a confidential phone service managed by the United Way, connects individuals in need with critical resources in their community. 211 Wisconsin also has tools for providers, policymakers, and researchers.
Launched last year, the Social Determinant of Health (SDOH) resource navigation tool is a free way for providers to quickly access reliable local resources that align with the federally required social need screening domains. An accompanying interactive dashboard provides five years of longitudinal data on 211 interaction, referral, and follow-ups. The dashboard includes data for all 72 counties and 11 federally recognized tribal nations covering access to clinical care, access to SDOH care, and barriers to care. Filters can be applied by year, region, call center, service category, and domain. The dashboard is updated daily.
These data points provide policymakers, funders, and organizations with real-time data on the stressors – especially those related to hunger, housing, health care, and mental health – facing Wisconsin communities. So far this year, housing and mental health/substance use were the most requested services.
Data You Can Use Annual Impact Report 2024
Data You Can Use, based in Milwaukee, released their latest Impact Report, themed Data is Power. The organization launched Milwaukee’s first-ever Milwaukee Wealth Index and works to empower young people to become data storytellers in addition to making data accessible and actionable for systems change.
2025 The State of Mental Health in America Report
Mental Health America (MHA) released their 2025 report highlighting the latest national data and state-level rankings on mental health and well-being in the U.S. The report notes that access to mental health care remains a major barrier. While the prevalence of mental health concerns among adults in the U.S. remained stable from 2021 to 2024, mental health among youth (ages 12-17) improved significantly from 2023 to 2024.
This year's report is published in tandem with a youth spotlight on mental health advocacy, created by MHA's Young Leaders Council. This supplemental report shows how young people are turning awareness into action and provides strategies and inspiration for others to follow.
Loneliness and Ostracism Among 5 Year-Olds
Being included in play and forming positive peer relationships are critical for children to meet their need to belong in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Loneliness and ostracism threaten meeting this need. In this study, five-year-old children’s loneliness and ostracism were examined through ECEC teacher observations. Among the 31,000 children, about one-sixth were evaluated as lonely and close to one-tenth as ostracized often to very often. The authors find that it is vital to equip ECEC teachers with competencies to observe and address loneliness and ostracism; to build safe and inclusive peer communities for all children; and to develop children’s social-emotional skills. Implications for ensuring that every child can build peer relationships, access play, and learn to positively include their diverse peers are discussed.
Fact Sheet on Protecting Tribal Youth
A new fact sheet on protecting Tribal youth from suicide shares protective factors and highlights a study that found community control and cultural continuity were central to suicide prevention. The fact sheet also describes some of the strongest factors that can prevent suicide among Tribal young people: connectedness to family and community.
Vast Majority of Schools Still Grappling with Social Emotional Development
The national School Pulse Panel regularly surveys public K-12 schools in the U.S. on a variety of high-priority education topics. A new release of results shows that 8 in 10 public schools (79%) said the pandemic and its lingering effects continue to negatively impact the socioemotional development of students. And 70% said they needed more support for student and/or staff mental health. Data were collected in May 2025.
Study finds school phone bans help students' well-being
New research by international experts found there were small but significant reductions in psychological distress among students attending a school with a phone ban.
The before-after study concluded there were stronger social connections, improved classroom focus, and better health and safety (more exercise, improved mood, less cyberbullying). The research involved 1,500 students and included in-depth follow-up conversations with students who stated that their schools were happier, friendlier and safer since the phone ban. The researchers also found in an earlier study there were lower levels of anxiety and depression at schools with phone bans.
The authors concluded that phone-free schools, a cost-effective strategy that offers kids a valuable digital break, supports both mental health and learning but ought to be paired with digital literacy and mental health programs to properly account for the realities of life in an increasingly digital world.
Virtual Bonds; Real Emotions: Systematic Review Exploring Online Social Connections and Adolescent Mental Health
Adolescent mental health issues have been increasing globally, with one in seven youth experiencing mental health disorders. While social connectedness traditionally serves as a protective factor, the widespread adoption of online platforms has fundamentally transformed how adolescents build and maintain social relationships. This systematic review aimed to synthesize existing literature on the relationship between online social connections and mental health among adolescents aged 10-18 years.
The review specifically examined how the structure, function, and quality of online interactions influence mental health outcomes, guided by the U.S. Surgeon General's framework on social connection. The review revealed complex, bidirectional relationships between online social connections and adolescent mental health.
Online-only friendships demonstrated a protective function, particularly for vulnerable youth experiencing suicidal ideation. Social capital in online contexts significantly influenced well-being, with higher online social capital associated with positive outcomes, especially in gaming environments. Gender differences emerged in social media effects, with passive use negatively impacting girls. Online social connections present both opportunities and risks for adolescent mental health. While digital platforms can provide valuable support and self-expression opportunities, particularly for vulnerable youth, they also carry risks related to social comparison and inadequate support.
Online Experiences and Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People
The Trevor Project reports that most LGBTQ+ young people agreed that they go online to connect with people because it is difficult finding others to relate to and connect with in their daily lives. LGBTQ+ young people who reported higher rates of anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as past-year suicide consideration and attempts, were also more likely to agree that they go online to find people to connect with due to difficulty relating with others in their daily lives.
Compared to their cisgender peers, transgender nonbinary (TGNB) youth were more likely to agree that they go online to find others because it is hard to make in-person connections (79% vs. 65%) and because they feel they can be their complete selves online (78% vs. 64%).
More Than Half of Mothers are Worried about their Child’s Mental Health
A report by Count on Mothers and Inseparable reveals that the majority of families are struggling to access and afford children’s mental health care. More than half of mothers nationwide worry about their kids’ mental health, and nearly one in four who seek help can’t get it—most often because of cost or long waits. Less than half of moms with private coverage say their health insurance provides sufficient access to mental health care. Mothers said expanding school-based supports would be the single most effective way to meeting children’s mental health needs.
Children with Medical Complexity and Family Caregiver Well-being
Family caregivers of children with medical complexity (CMC) provide intensive medical care and coordination for their child and experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress than their peers. CMC are children with complex chronic conditions that result in functional limitations, technology dependence, and high health care utilization. The needs of caregivers of CMC, defined in this article as parents and guardians, are rarely addressed. Professionals who interact with caregivers in medical, school, and social service settings lack knowledge in how to address the complicated needs of caregivers. The authors of this journal article developed a structured education on caregiver well-being for medical, school, and social service professionals.
Peer-Support Needs and Experiences of Young Adults with Chronic Conditions
Little is known about how young adults with chronic conditions view peer support and virtual peer-support programming. Participants of this study expressed social isolation, difficulty connecting with healthy peers, and a desire for greater availability of peer support programs. The findings show that across different chronic conditions, peer support was seen as an unmet need, and greater availability of virtual peer support programs may help support the psychosocial wellbeing of young adults with chronic conditions.
American Academy of Pediatrics Clinical Report: Screening Necessary from Infancy through Adolescence
As youth mental health challenges continue to be highly concerning, an updated clinical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics addresses the need for primary care clinicians to implement routine, systematic screening from infancy through adolescence. Expanding mental health care within pediatric practice is especially urgent given the national shortage of child mental health specialists. The clinical report published in Pediatrics provides a practical framework for integrating screening into well-child visits, emphasizing early detection and treatment, resilience promotion and family-centered care. Also see related article in Psychiatric Times on screening for suicide risk among kids with neurodevelopmental disabilities.
Common Household Items Used in Self-Harm Among Tweens
A new study shows that common household products such as pain relievers, antihistamines, cold medicines, and vitamins are being used by preteens to self-harm. Analyzing National Poison Data System data from 2000 to 2023, the researchers found that children ages 6 to 12 are experiencing a dramatic increase in instances of self-harm.
Researchers analyzed more than 1.5 million reports of substance exposures to U.S. poison control centers across the country. Reports to poison control with suspected self-harm intent among 11-year-olds have increased by 398% since 2000. The increase was 343% in 12-year-olds, the study found.
The authors call for targeted research and interventions to prevent substance exposures, especially exposures associated with suspected self-harm or suicidal intent among 11- to 12-year-old children.
The Need for Scientific Leadership and Collaboration to Enhance Social Connection: A Call to Action
Although evidence highlights the importance of social connection for health outcomes, efforts to address social disconnection remain fragmented. This article calls for rigorous, collaborative research on solutions that strengthen social connection and provides context about the status of social disconnection in America. The current problems of disconnection and loneliness justify the need for science to promote social connection from the perspectives of a scientific leadership council (SLC). The call to action proposes coordinated efforts to: (1) galvanize efforts to employ scientific evidence to design solutions and policies to address social disconnection; (2) establish the role of a US-based SLC, an interdisciplinary collaborative for evidence-based leadership; and (3) advocate for unified efforts and harmonization to close the gap between evidence and implementation. Additionally, this article proposes setting measurable national goals aligned with the Healthy People 2030 framework to monitor progress and drive systemic change, transforming the current landscape and building a more connected future.
Adolescent Loneliness Trends Across 38 Countries: 2000 to 2022
This study estimates multinational trends and correlates of adolescent loneliness over the years 2000 to 2022. Using data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) administered to nearly 1.3 million adolescents ages 15-16 across 38 countries, researchers found loneliness substantially increased from 2012 to 2015, followed by additional smaller annual increases until 2022. The study reviews contextual factors such as country unemployment rates, internet use, and COVID-19.
The State of Opioid Overdose and Response in the U.S. 2025
This report details state-level data and recommendations for action across the continuum of services and supports for opioid use, including prevention, treatment, and recovery. Although many states are making progress in preventing opioid overdose deaths, that progress is not uniform across the nation. States differ significantly in their implementation of overdose prevention strategies, substance use education, and access to opioid use treatment and recovery. Using publicly available national data to identify where in the country additional investments are most needed, the report highlights specific policy recommendations that would have the highest impact. State-level rankings are available.
Young Adults Have the Sharpest Increase in Depression Rates
Gallup survey results show that depression in the adult population has risen, and most sharply among young adults. Between 2017 and 2025, depression rates doubled among young adults (ages 18-29). Young adults also report high levels of loneliness, which has a strong link to depression.
Youth Voice Supports Stronger Relationships and Better Academic, Social, and Emotional Growth
Student voice is more than a feel-good practice—Child Trends’ research shows how student voice can be a driver of academic engagement and attendance. Based on findings from the Student Voice to Student Outcomes Study, which identified when and how student voice contributes to academic, social, and emotional growth, Child Trends has developed a suite of research-based tools. The Student Voice Toolkit helps educators strengthen feedback loops and foster meaningful student–adult collaboration in schools. Child Trends, in collaboration with the Search Institute, also developed the validated State of Student Voice Practices in Schools Survey to give schools a clear picture of how effectively they are elevating student perspectives.
OCMH Research and Data Resources
Key Facts in Youth Mental Health: https://children.wi.gov/Pages/ResearchData/KeyFacts.aspx
Fact Sheets: https://children.wi.gov/Pages/ResearchData/FactSheets.aspx
Data Sources: https://children.wi.gov/Pages/Resources/DataSources.aspx
Research News in Youth Mental Health: https://children.wi.gov/Pages/OCMHNewsletters.aspx
Youth Mental Health Initiatives: https://children.wi.gov/Pages/Resources/ChildrensInitiatives.aspx
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