This report was published by ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning.

HERE’S HOW THE AUTHORS DESCRIBE THIS REPORT:

Supporting students’ mental health is imperative for their educational success. Research has shown that when the mental health needs of students are met, positive educational outcomes result.

The US Department of Health and Human Services reports that as many as one in four adolescents experience mental health challenges; however, as many as three out of four of this group do not receive the support they need.

To combat this lack of support for adolescents experiencing mental health challenges, schools have implemented prevention and treatment services for students. When such services are provided at school, students are more likely to seek help than if such services were provided only in the community.

Given the importance, ACT is conducting a series of studies investigating high school students’ perceptions of their safety, including their perceptions of their physical safety at school, their opinions of safety measures, and their perceptions of available school-based mental health support. This report focuses on students’ perceptions of the mental health services available to them at their schools.

Schools have become a central place for implementing comprehensive mental health programs and services. The results of our survey suggest that more work is needed.

To that end, ACT offers several recommendations for policymakers to address issues students identified regarding access to and awareness of mental health services, particularly for students in rural areas and students of colour.