The Urgent Need for Mental Health Conversations in Schools

America is facing a crisis of loneliness, particularly among our youth. The United States Surgeon General released an advisory in 2023 about the epidemic of loneliness and isolation that we are seeing in this country. Many factors have contributed to the loneliness epidemic, including the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of this, many young people don’t understand the power and importance of social connection, which may create barriers for those seeking support. When I speak with parents who have lost their children to suicide, many mention that loneliness is one of the biggest issues today’s youth are facing. Some believe that their children felt they had nowhere to turn to for support. 

Conversations about mental health and suicide prevention are not typically held in schools. As a result, many students may feel that if they are struggling, they can’t discuss it and have nowhere to turn for help. I have found in my personal experiences that many people, including school mental health professionals, are afraid to have conversations about suicide. When doing presentations at my school about mental health, I’ve often been told not to use the word “suicide.” Along with this, whenever I’ve attempted to bring in experts to talk about suicide prevention, I’ve received extreme pushback. My school is relatively small, and while some may believe this type of issue won’t affect us, it actually does and has.

There are small steps that schools and school districts can take to de-stigmatize these conversations in educational settings. For example, I ordered free magnets, stickers, and posters from the SAMHSA resource shop which I then distributed to teachers to display in their classrooms. I encourage all students to take charge and do the same as I did; I am sure you will receive as positive of a response from your teachers as I did. 

Another thing that educational institutions can do is include the contact information for the 988 Lifeline on the backs of student IDs. This allows the conversation to be started in schools, de-stigmatizes the issue, and reminds students that this is an available resource they have in their back pocket. I personally always have my student ID with me and I know that many other students do as well, so I believe this is an effective method to spread awareness about the 988 Lifeline. Texas is one of 25 states that require 988 to be included on student IDs, and I have witnessed an increase in awareness about 988.

I have worked with other young activists to write a bill that would require all middle schools and high schools across the country to take this step and have 988 contact information on the backs of student IDs. Although 25 states have already done this, that leaves millions of students in the remaining 25 states without these resources and potentially without the awareness that these resources even exist. Since state efforts have lagged and suicide rates among youth are climbing, swift federal action is needed. The legislation that we are working on has received strong bipartisan support and will be introduced into Congress in the coming weeks. Similar bipartisan legislation, applying only to colleges and universities, has been introduced in the past several Congressional sessions and even passed the United States Senate unanimously last session.

Advocating on Capitol Hill for our legislation!

Having these important conversations in school settings at the K-12 and higher education levels is vital to help promote mental health awareness. We need to ensure that we are putting resources in the palms of our peers who need it. All students should take the initiative to bring these conversations to their schools and overcome the discomfort of these issues. You have the power to make a difference in your schools, in your communities, and you even have the power to pass legislation in the United States Congress.

If you or someone you know needs support now, help is available. Text or call 988 or chat online at 988lifeline.org to speak with a trained, caring counselor, 24/7.