Statewide Youth Survey Shows Mental Health Challenges Persist for Vermont Students

For Immediate Release: November 22, 2024
Media Contact: Kyle Casteel 
Communication Office │ Department of Health 
802-863-7280 │ [email protected] 
 

Statewide Youth Survey Shows Mental Health Challenges Persist for Vermont Students 
Survey Measures Social Media Use for First Time; Shows Long-term Substance Use Decline 

 

WATERBURY, VT — New data from the Vermont Department of Health measuring health risks and behaviors among middle and high school students indicate progress on long-term challenges like youth drug, alcohol and tobacco use, while the number of young people reporting mental health challenges like stress, anxiety and depression remains high. 

 

The 2023 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) shows that a third of Vermont high school students struggle with poor mental health, while just over 50% of Vermont high school students feel like they matter to their community. Students are reporting self-harm and making suicide plans at the same rates as during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is especially a concern for female and LGBTQ+ students, who report poor mental health and self-harm at significantly higher rates than their peers. 

 

“In line with national trends, we are seeing young people in Vermont grappling with persistent feelings of hopelessness and isolation in a much more pronounced way than was the case among the same age groups 10 years ago,” Health Department Deputy Commissioner Kelly Dougherty said. “We have a responsibility as adults to believe what these students are telling us about how they feel and to treat this growing crisis with the urgency it deserves.” 

 

New this year, students were asked about social media use and how often they use apps like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and X. The survey data show 80% of high school students and 60% of middle school students check social media at least several times a day. 

 

The biennial survey of Vermont high school and middle school students asks questions on a wide range of topics including sexual activity, drugs and alcohol, physical activity, nutrition, club and sport involvement and post-graduation plans. The YRBS data can help school and community organizations focus prevention efforts and determine whether school policies and community programs have the intended effect on student behaviors. The survey, also given on a national level coordinated by the CDC, is a collaboration between the Health Department and Agency of Education. 
 

Other 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Highlights: 

• 22% of high school students report using marijuana, a decrease from 24% a decade ago. 

• The percent of high school students who believe their parents would think it’s wrong for them to use marijuana has significantly decreased in the last decade, from 82% in 2013 to 75% today.  

• 16% of high school students report using e-cigarettes, down from a peak of 26% in 2019.  

• 28% of high school students are sexually active, an increase from the 2021 results. 

• Condom use has significantly decreased among sexually active students over the last decade (62% in 2013 to 49% in 2023). 

• 56% of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) students are treated unfairly at school because of their race or ethnicity compared to 14% of white, non-Hispanic students. 

• Almost four in 10 high school students report they are trying to lose weight. 

 

The national 988 Lifeline is available via call, text or chat 24 hours a day to support those struggling with mental health challenges, including via mobile crisis response units.  

 

Health officials encourage parents and guardians to talk with students about drug and alcohol use and mental health. Advice on starting these conversations can be found at ParentUpvt.org. Resources and information related to adolescent sexual health is available at HealthVermont.gov/topic/teens-and-sex. 

 

For the complete YRBS reports and highlight summaries, visit HealthVermont.gov/yrbs.  

 

# # # 
 

The media plays an important role in preventing suicide. Best-practice reporting guidance is available at FacingSuicideVT.com. 

 

Translated Information – Print, video and audio resources are translated into many of the languages used in Vermont. Visit HealthVermont.gov/Translations for searchable tables of documents in each of the nine languages – including about preventing illness, healthy homes, and staying safe and healthy during extreme events like storms, power outages, hurricanes, and flooding. 

 

About the Department of Health 

We have been the state's public health agency for more than 130 years, working every day to protect and promote the health of Vermonters. 

 

Visit HealthVermont.gov ─ Join us @HealthVermont on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube