The Time to Act Is Now: Investing in LGBTQIA2S+ Student Mental Health in K-12 Schools With a Youth-Centered Approach

Abstract

Compared to youth a decade ago, today’s youth experience increased rates of mental health concerns as well as greater severity of mental health issues. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, over a third of youth reported feeling sad and hopeless and one in five reported having seriously considered suicide. With this grim reality, schools and communities are no longer able to ignore how mental health affects the daily lives, social and emotional development, and identify formation of their youth. When schools implement mental health promotion programs and policies, they not only promote academic success but also increase protective factors that establish an environment supportive of help-seeking behaviors. Active Minds is committed to improving mental health outcomes for youth, specifically LGBTQIA2S+ students, enrolled in K-12 schools across the United States. These recommendations, grounded in evidence-based best practices, provide support for schools as they work to improve student mental health. These recommendations include the following:

Implementing the Whole School, Whole Child, Whole Community (WSCC) model;

Centering youth voices in mental health promotion;

Participating in surveillance efforts;

Ensuring mental health support for students with diverse identities and needs;

Providing space to address individual biases and stigma;

Developing and aligning policies and culture to support youth mental health.