SAMHSA supports efforts to promote mental health and substance use prevention in schools and on campuses and to provide safe learning environments.
challenges and substances
Young people face a variety of life challenges that can affect their mental health use or abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Schools and campuses should be safe havens for them to grow and learn. Both settings offer mental health promotion and substance use prevention activities, yet America’s schools and campuses are facing challenging public health issues such as bullying, violence, alcohol use, and drug abuse.
Underage drinking and associated problems have profound negative consequences for underage drinkers, their families, their communities, and society. While schools provide programs and activities to promote emotional health and prevent substance use among students, they face unprecedented behavioral health challenges.
Bullying and related links
Many children and youth want to feel well-liked and included in a group, which can sometimes make them susceptible to bullying and peer pressure. Both behaviors can start as early as preschool and become an even greater risk as young people transition into middle school, high school, college, and beyond. There are actions school staff can take to make schools safer and prevent bullying.
Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) is a program overseeing school-aged youth to advance wellness and resiliency in education by increasing mental health awareness in schools across states, territories, and tribal communities.
The Cooperative Agreements for School-Based Trauma-Informed Support Services (TISS) and Mental Health Care for Children and Youth increases student access to evidence-based and culturally relevant trauma support services and mental health care.
The “Talk. They Hear You.” campaign aims to reduce underage drinking and other substance use among youths under the age of 21 by providing parents and caregivers with information and resources they need to address these issues with their children early and often.
