Chronic absenteeism from school continues to be an issue in Wisconsin and the nation. Poor mental health can be both a cause and an effect of absenteeism. Absenteeism can lead to social isolation, anxiety, and loneliness. And for those with existing mental health challenges, absenteeism can deepen their struggles.

Chronic absenteeism rates in Wisconsin rose to its highest in 2022 at 22.7%. Rates have since declined to 17.7% in 2024 but are still higher than the pre-pandemic rate of 12.9% in 2019. 

Regular school attendance leads to improved academic, economic, health, and relational outcomes over a child’s lifetime. Given the lifelong consequences, we see a role for everyone in improving attendance and child well-being.

Read the Fact Sheet to learn more and how you can help.

School district staff in the Appleton Area School District named attendance as a common challenge to student success. Data showed that kids in the district were missing school at twice the rate as prior to the pandemic.

With a commitment to improve attendance, the District got to work. OCMH’s newest Showcasing Solutions highlights some of the efforts the District has done and the promising results. Read their story here.

Showcasing Solutions shares stories of innovations organizations are doing across the state to improve children’s mental health and well-being. See all our Showcasing Solutions, now organized into categories for easier navigation.

We have translated our key children’s mental health resources into Spanish for years, and now we have made those easier to find. See our new special OCMH Resources in Spanish page on our website.  You’ll see the resource description in English and a snapshot of the piece in Spanish. We encourage people to share this page with their networks.

New Resource Available: English Ӏ Hmong

Suicide was the leading cause of death for Asian-Americans ages 15-24 in 2022 and for Asian Americans ages 10-19 in 2021. The suicide rate for Asian American youth doubled between 1999 and 2021. These young people face unique challenges in suicide prevention including underrepresentation in suicide research, cultural factors, and stigma on the topic itself.

Despite these troubling statistics, suicide is preventable. OCMH and the Medical College of Wisconsin’s (MCW) Division of Suicide Research and Healing in the Comprehensive Injury Center are raising awareness of Asian American youth suicide in Wisconsin based on research presented by MCW. We encourage the communities surrounding these young people to consider ways to proactively support these vulnerable young people. Ways to help are:

• Promote mental wellness, social connections, and safe and supportive adults.
• Talk about suicide warning signs on a regular basis.
• Recommend training for emergency and crisis personnel on cultural barriers for seeking care and to modify screening procedures to include cultural factors.

We have published a resource sharing more information. See it in English and Hmong.  Additional helpful resources from OCMH include:

• Feelings Thermometer – helps people identify their feelings and strategies to manage them. English Ӏ Hmong.
• Mental Health Crisis Card – a wallet-sized card sharing calming strategies intended to help regulate an individual in the first five minutes of an agitated state or mental health crisis. Encourage youth to print a copy, fill it out, and carry it with them or take a photo of it on their phone. English Ӏ Hmong
• Handling a Mental Health Crisis – advice and resources for how caregivers can best support their child or teen experiencing a mental health crisis. English Ӏ Hmong

OCMH will host a virtual documentary premiere of SHIFT: Do What Moves You on Thursday, October 30, 2025, 7:30-8:30 pm. The 30-minute documentary, created by Tell My Story, features real stories of young people discovering the power in using their passions to build joy and resilience amid mental health challenges.

This virtual event is free and open to all interested in youth mental well-being and using youth voice and their passions to help build resiliency. Register here.

OCMH is proud to present a mini-grant opportunity for Wisconsin high school programs/clubs to promote belonging and social connection in their schools. Mini-grants are $1,000 and can be used for activities and events that support youth belonging and social connectedness in the 2025-26 school year. Mini-grant recipients must implement their activities between award notification on November 24, 2025 and May 29, 2026.

See what prior grant recipients did with their mini-grants here. See our informational flyer for application rules, details, and important dates. Complete the application by November 17, 2025.

Parent and Student Attitudes about Sexual Health Education

The Department of Health Services Wisconsin Adolescent Health Team announces two new summaries of attitudes and opinions from Wisconsin parents, caregivers, and youth about sexual health education in public schools.

• Parents – A survey of parents and caregivers of children ages 4-18 across Wisconsin showed 92% of those surveyed think both abstinence and comprehensive sex education should be taught to their children. See the Parental Support for Comprehensive Sexual Education in Wisconsin survey results.
• Youth – Two focus groups with teens living and attending school in rural and urban communities across Wisconsin were held by the Wisconsin Adolescent Health Team and Providers and Teens Communicating for Health (PATCH). Youth said they want to learn the basics about sex and healthy relationships, how to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, and how to access health care services. See Students’ Thoughts on Sexual Health Education in Wisconsin.

Plan Now – Social Connection Awareness Week

Social Connection Awareness Week is November 9-15, 2025. The Wisconsin Coalition for Social Connection has resources available here. Loneliness effects all generations but particularly young adults.

• The recent Loneliness in America study shows a quarter (24%) of young adults ages 18-29 are lonely, which is nearly two and half times higher than seniors (10%).
• This trend is not new. Young adults ages 18-22 were the loneliest generation in Cigna’s study of American adults in 2018. People who had daily meaningful in-person interactions had an average loneliness score 20 points lower than those who never have in-person interactions. 

Connectedness and belonging are the antidote to loneliness and isolation.

• Feeling connected to your school, or that you belong, is a predictor of positive mental health. School belonging is on the decline in Wisconsin – in the last 10 years there has been a 37% drop in kids feeling like they belong at their school (from 73.7% in 2013 to 53.6% in 2023).
• Toddlers who learn to play well with their peers by age 3 are more likely to have positive mental health later in childhood.

Lights On Afterschool is October 23^rd

Lights On Afterschool is a nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and the important role they play in the lives of children, families, and communities. Participating organizations plan their own celebrations. This year the event is October 23, 2025. Learn more.

• Bullying Prevention Month – In Wisconsin, 22% of high school students reported being bullied at school, and 18% were bullied online. Bullying rates at elementary and middle school are often higher. Not only is bullying a source of mental health concerns, it’s also a school safety issue. More than half (54%) of girls agree bullying is a problem at their high school, and nearly a third (32%) of boys think the same. We encourage everyone to carve out some time in October to get informed about bullying in your local schools and communities and what can be done to help prevent it. Anyone can help by nurturing positive connections, environments, and interpersonal skills in kids. Parents can access the Parents Act Now! Bullying Prevention resource from Children’s Wisconsin. The National Center on School Safety has a comprehensive resource on bullying prevention in schools. See OCMH’s Data Bite on Bullying & Belonging. 
• Unity Day is October 22 – Unity Day is a signature event of National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. Individuals, schools, communities, and businesses are encouraged to wear or share orange to unite for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion to prevent students from being bullied.
• ADHD Awareness – The many faces of ADHD is the theme for 2025, and the goal is to share reliable information about ADHD and its treatments. Learn more.
• Global Peer Support Day is October 16 – A celebration of peer supporters, peer support, and recognizing their work in helping their peers with mental health, addictions, and or trauma-related challenges move along the continuum of recovery and inclusion. Learn more.
• Lead Poisoning Prevention Week is October 19-25, 2025 – This week is a call to bring together individuals, organizations, industry, and Tribal, state, and local governments to reduce childhood exposure to lead by increasing lead poisoning prevention awareness. Learn more.
• Indigenous People’s Day was October 13 – The day is meant to encourage reflection, recognition, and celebration of the ongoing contributions of Indigenous peoples.