DASH Partner Update – March 2022

Dear Partners,

In recent congressional hearings and bills and in the President’s State of the Union Address, national leaders have called on us to address the mental health crisis among children and youth in our country, including in our nation’s schools. Schools play an essential role in the health and well-being of children and youth. School environments – everything from how teachers manage classrooms, to programs that promote social and emotional learning, to policies and practices to support LGBTQ youth – have a strong and life-long impact on mental health. CDC’s unique role is to lead the nation’s prevention efforts to protect and improve the health of young people. CDC collects data that drive action and partners with schools to implement a comprehensive public health approach that helps protect against negative outcomes among youth.

The CDC “What Works in Schools” approach to primary prevention in local school districts improves health education, connects youth to the services they need, and creates safer and more supportive school environments. This approach has demonstrated positive impacts on substance use, sexual risk, experience of violence, and mental health among students in schools that implement the approach. It represents an important tool to address the current mental health crisis among our young people.

Mental Health Awareness Month is observed every May, and we will again be using the month as an opportunity to promote the magnitude of the mental health challenges that adolescents across the country are facing and highlight school-based strategies that mitigate these experiences. The task before us is great, but DASH is committed to doing everything we can to ensure that youth have the tools and support they need to recover and thrive throughout and beyond this incredibly challenging time. We know that this work is only strengthened with your partnership. In the update below, you will find resources from a variety of partners working to support LGBTQ youth, who are experiencing particularly concerning mental health challenges. Thank you for your dedication to supporting adolescent health and well-being. Real change will take all of us.

Best,
Kathleen

Kathleen A. Ethier, Ph.D.
Director, Division of Adolescent and School Health
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention