The Coping kids story
We hope you’ve read Our Story to learn about why the story is Robert’s Story. But why is this so important to Robert and those that he works with through various peer support programs? Read below to understand more about how mental health impacts everybody at every level and why it should be important to you.
25% of adults and 20% of youth 13-18 experience Mental Illness.
100% of adults and youth experience Mental Health!
What is Mental Health?
Mental Health is the way a person's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors affect his or her life. Mental Health is a spectrum. We all have Mental Health just like we all have Physical Health and it changes over time.
What is Mental Illness?
Mental Illness is a condition that impacts a person's thinking, emotions, and mood such that it interferes with his or her daily functioning. Some examples include, ADHD, General Anxiety Disorder, General Depressive Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, and Eating Disorders.
How Does Mental Health Impact Students?
Per Substance Abuse & Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA), untreated or undertreated mental health concerns can impact young people in the following ways:
- Difficulty controlling attention during learning tasks
- Trouble persevering during challenging academic tasks
- Frequent absences from school due to illness or school avoidance
- Trouble making/maintaining friendships
- Difficulty following school routines & norms resulting in suspension and expulsion
How Does Mental Health Affect the Larger Community?
According to the American Psychological Association, 64% of jail inmates, 54% of state prisoners, & 45% of federal prisoners report mental health concerns. (https://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/10/incarceration)
According to the American Psychological Association, 20-25% of the unhoused population in the USA suffers from some form of severe mental illness. (https://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/Mental_Illness.pdf)
Suicide & Mental Illness
Per the Centers for Disease Control, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for ages 10-34.
90% of those who commit suicide had an underlying mental illness.
If you or a loved one is experiencing mental health-related distress — whether that is thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress, call or text 988 to talk to a trained counselor.
How Has the Pandemic Impacted Mental Health?
Since the pandemic, a study shows the prevalence of anxiety in children & adolescents increased by 9% and depression increased by 12%.
U.S. Surgeon General's Call to Action About Children's Mental Health
The Surgeon General issued a public health advisory in a 53 page document in December 2021 on the mental health challenges confronting youth, a rare warning & call to action to address what he called an emerging crisis exacerbated by pandemic hardships, citing mounting evidence of ongoing harm.
Mental Health in Your School
In our home state of Nevada, of the 539,000 K-12 students, 42,000 have had a major depressive episode in the last year and 28,000 of those students did not receive ANY treatment per the February 2022 America’s School Mental Health Report Card. Nevada ranks 51st in Overall Rank for Youth Mental Health and has every year since the survey began in 2015. See how your state ranks here.
Per the American School Counselor Association, the national average of student-to-school counselor ratio is 464-1 while the recommendation is 250-1. Click here to see your state.
Subscribe to Newsletter and Stay Tuned for Our Updates
Get the latest updates on workbook progress, new chapters, funding updates, legislative updates, and more.
We will never share or sell your email to anybody.
