Dear DFC and CARA Coalition Leaders,

CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) has developed a new school mental health action guide to offer tools and strategies for school and district leaders faced with the ongoing youth mental health crisis. According to CDC’s 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary and Trends Report, poor mental health and suicidal thoughts and behaviors are increasing for nearly all groups of youth. To address the data, this new action guide, Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being in Schools: An Action Guide for School and District Leaders, provides six key strategies and solutions for schools to build on to improve the students’ mental health and their overall well-being more effectively.

About the Resource:

The school-based action guide provides action steps on how to address each strategy with examples of evidence-based policies, programs, and practices to support youth mental health. This guide provides schools with a plethora of resources and real-world strategies to assist with the youth mental health crisis. 

Key Features:

• Increase students’ mental health literacy with structured curricula and peer-led modeling programs.
• Promote mindfulness in different environments (e.g. classroom, small groups, and independently).
• Promote and build skills related to social-emotional learning.  
• Enhance connectedness between students, staff, and families through relationship-building programs.  
• Provide psychosocial skills training and cognitive behavioral interventions.  
• Support school staff well-being with training programs and other therapeutic resources.

Accessing the Resource:

Learn more about the CDC School Mental Health Action Guide here. 

Best Wishes,

The CDC Team