The growing crisis in adolescent mental health was deemed a national state of emergency by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association in October 2021. In December, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy followed suit with a public health advisory focused on this crisis.
Today’s students are struggling, and the pandemic is intensifying these issues:
- More than 10 million adolescents ages 13–18 are in need of professional help to address a mental health concern
- Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among 10- to 14-year-olds
- LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to seriously consider suicide than their peers
- Emergency department visits in early 2021 for suspected suicide attempts increased by 50.6% among girls aged 12–17
- More than 140,000 children in the U.S. lost a parent or caregiver as a result of COVID-19 as of June 2021—and youth of color are being disproportionately affected
- 70% of LGBTQ youth reported that their mental health was “poor” most of the time or always during the pandemic
It’s more important than ever to identify and provide services for those in need. Fortunately, organizations across the country offer support to help address issues ranging from suicide and violence to anxiety and homelessness.
To help make these resources more accessible to educators, parents, and students, Gaggle has created a new Student Support Resources page. Here, you’ll find links, descriptions, and contact details for organizations offering support to those who are struggling.
We encourage you to share this information to ensure those who need help know where they can turn. Want to recommend an organization not included on the page? Please comment below with the organization’s name and website. By raising awareness and making these resources easily accessible, students will know where to find help when they need it most.
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