1 in 10 Wisconsin teens attempted suicide over last 3 years; half of state's youth have mental illness, report finds

 

WISCONSIN (CBS 58) -- Last January, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers declared 2023 as "the year of mental health," which helped bring awareness to what he called a "burgeoning crisis" affecting children and their families.

But according to a recently released annual report from the state's Office of Children's Mental Health (OCMH), that crisis continues -- and in some ways, has gotten worse.

On Friday, Jan. 12, officials with the state agency met with members of the media, state legislators, and affected students to discuss the report and its goal of examining wellbeing and finding solutions to improve the mental health system. 

“Mental wellness and investing in your mental wellness is important. It’s something that we all have to do," said OCMH Director Linda Hall. “You can make a difference in someone’s mental health, a youth or an adult, just with a 40-second interaction.”

Some key findings?

One in every 10 Wisconsin teenagers attempted suicide over the last three years -- 48% of all LGBTQ+ youth in the state are seriously considering suicide, a number that's 3% higher than the national rate.

The number of children with major depression is increasing, and half of Wisconsin's youth have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, behavioral issues, or other mental illnesses. 

The report continued to show that half of children in Wisconsin said they had trouble receiving help, and half of those aged three to 17 with a diagnosed condition didn't receive any treatment.

Officials said the number of kids aged 12-18 experiencing a major depressive episode rose to 16% - a 2% growth over the last five years, and that nearly 40% of young adults aged 18-25 now experience mental illness. 

It also found that many, but especially girls, children of color, and LGBTQ+ youth, were facing "extremely concerning" rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. 

According to the research, some of the stressors included racism and discrimination (particularly toward anti-LGBTQ+ policies), financial or food insecurities, political divisiveness, climate change, widespread gun violence, and academic pressures.

Other troubling factors contributing to youth mental health decline in the report are a drop in the number of 4-year-olds attending preschool, double the number of teenagers who are vaping, and fewer kids participating in extracurriculars. 

But the report also showed some positive growth.

Teen birth rate decreased, drinking among teens declined, students were sleeping more, and the number of social workers, counselors, and psychologists in schools increased.

“I think it’s one of the good things that’s coming out of this crisis, is that we are looking broadly and deeply at what do we do earlier on to allow youth to be mentally well," Hall said. “It’s really important for us to create more ongoing sustainable funding for mental health.”

To view the full report, click here.