By Julie Mack, Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative

Mental health issues among American youths are a growing concern — for parents, educators, health officials, and the children themselves.

New data from the federal Centers of Disease Control indicates that 37% of U.S. high school students experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 44% of students report feeling persistently sad or hopeless sometime during the previous year.

Local trending mirrors what’s happening nationally. 

“Over the past several years, all the school districts in the [Kalamazoo] county have seen an increase in anxiety and depression for students. When we look at students who were functioning well in the past, those are students who are now needing extra support,” says Marianne Joynt, Portage Public Schools mental health initiatives coordinator. 

It’s unclear how much of the surge in reported mental health problems is a result of stresses related to the pandemic and how much is from decreasing stigma, which makes youths more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and/or depression.

Whatever the reason, youth mental health has become a priority for policymakers, who are pushing for strategies to improve access and treatment.

The Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative, through its Mental Wellness Project, is profiling six approaches that address the issue through its new solutions-focused reporting series, A Way Through: Strategies for Youth Mental Health.

Stories in the series look at what’s working for children struggling with mental health, and they cover these programs and pathways, many located right in schools:

• Children’s Trauma Assessment Center at Western Michigan University
• Hiring of a mental health services coordinator at Portage Public Schools
• SibShops, a program for the siblings of children with severe physical or mental health problems
• TRAILS, a program developed by University of Michigan to help school-age children manage their emotions being implemented in Three Rivers and other communities
• Battle Creek Central High School school-based health clinic
• A program to support young victims of gun violence 

SWMJC also has assembled a downloadable resource guide, Kid Grid, to help parents of children with mental health issues. 

The goal is to shine a light on one of the most critical issues of our time and for our community. 

According to Dr. Debra Houry, CDC acting principal deputy director, as noted in a March press release: “The COVID-19 pandemic has created traumatic stressors that have the potential to further erode students’ mental wellbeing. Our research shows that surrounding youth with the proper support can reverse these trends and help our youth now and in the future.”