The United States is going through a well-documented and ongoing youth mental health crisis, with high rates of suicidal ideation, hopelessness and depression. Mental health conditions typically start during childhood, adolescence or young adulthood. More than 1 in 7 U.S. youth ages 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year. When mental health conditions are treated early, it can save lives and vastly improve outcomes for individuals. Mental health education in schools can be a proactive solution to this crisis.
Many students learn about general health issues in health education programs, but those curricula have not always traditionally included mental health. More recently, there has been momentum behind the availability of curricula focused on mental health, which can increase students’ awareness of the signs of mental health conditions in themselves or others and how to seek help.