Transcripts: California Center for School Climate Youth Public Service Announcements on Student Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Aayushi Khatri – What Everyone Should Know About Student Mental Health

Narrator: California Center for School Climate. Youth Voices: What Everyone Should Know About Student Mental Health.

Aayushi Khatri: According to Mental Health America, about 14.83 percent or 447,000 teenagers in California have experienced at least one major depressive episode in 2023. Over half of those teenagers, namely 269,000, still actively experience severe major depressive episodes. Whilst many people focus on trying to get these teens help, they fail to understand the major causes of these issues. Within school environments, depression is commonly caused due to peer problems, bullying, stress, and academic trouble. Often, safe and accessible resources are not available for people to access, leaving them with nobody to confide in and no way to get help. This in turn will only amplify their feelings of depression. Addressing these issues can drastically improve efforts to better teenagers’ mental health and maintain healthy environments for them. It is important to recognize and try to remove some of these obstacles before resources like safe adults and mental health education can be most effective.

Narrator: If you or someone you know needs help, call 988 or visit SuicideisPreventable.org. The California Center for School Climate is a California Department of Education Initiative operated by WestEd. For more information, visit ccsc.wested.org.

Alexa Southall – What Everyone Should Know About Student Mental Health

Narrator: California Center for School Climate. Youth Voices: What Everyone Should Know About Student Mental Health

Alexa Southall: Did you know one in five youth experience mental health struggles? Just like adults, youth can feel feelings of depression and anxiety. Oftentimes we hesitate to have conversations about mental health because they feel uncomfortable. But it is these uncomfortable conversations that remind youth that they are not alone. Mental health is something we should all prioritize. Just like we take care of our body and our physical health, it is crucial that we take care of our mental health, too. We can be the help that somebody else needs. From checking in on loved ones to being empathetic towards others, we can end the stigma surrounding mental health one step at a time.

Aisha Bilgrammi – What Everyone Should Know About Student Mental Health

Narrator: California Center for School Climate. Youth Voices: What Everyone Should Know About Student Mental Health.

Aisha Bilgrammi: The University of Michigan reported that over two thirds of young people do not talk about or seek help for their mental health problems. That is a lot of today’s youth affected by mental health. But more importantly, it shows us just how prevalent mental health is in today’s youth and why we all must begin taking steps to address this problem. Mental health is defined as a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with their stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community. Which is why it is imperative to create a safe environment and system that makes space for students and their emotional wellbeing, beginning with a thorough education of what emotional health is, why it is important to establish understanding, as well as eliminate the stigma around it. Working on confidentiality policies, creating easily accessible resources, and systems that are inclusive of the differing minds of students are all important in creating a safe, inclusive environment for the mental wellbeing of today’s youth. This can look like more specialists at schools, stricter confidentiality policies for students, or more flexible course pathways, classrooms, and class systems. More importantly, gathering student input.

Colin Do – What Everyone Should Know About Substance Abuse

Narrator: California Center for School Climate. Youth Voices: What Everyone Should Know About Substance Abuse.

Colin Do: Substance abuse in teens is more than just experimentation. It often stems from deeper issues, leading to highly dangerous cycles. When teens feel alone in their struggles, they often turn to their peers for guidance. But the truth is friends lack the expertise needed for recovery, inevitably blurring boundaries and leading to toxicity in relationships. Let’s break the stigma surrounding professional help. Seeking guidance and counseling from trained professionals is crucial to long-term recovery. Learn more about the substance abuse counseling available to you and let’s work together to provide our youth with the resources they need to break the cycle of substance abuse among teens.

Narrator: If you or someone you know needs help with substance abuse, call 1-800-662-HELP. The California Center for School Climate is a California Department of Education initiative operated by WestEd. For more information, visit ccsc.wested.org.

California Center for School Climate (CCSC)