The 2025 Child Health Report Card, released by NC Child and the North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM), focuses on rising youth mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. The report emphasizes the critical role schools play in supporting students’ mental well-being, as these environments influence both positive and negative mental health outcomes.
The special section of the report addresses key areas such as student access to mental health support, physical activity’s role in mental health, and the impact of social media. It highlights the shortage of mental health professionals, with a student-to-school psychologist ratio of 1,928:1 in 2024, far exceeding the recommended 500:1 ratio.
Experts stress that the youth mental health crisis in North Carolina requires systemic change rather than blaming individuals. Solutions should focus on improving school resources and support systems for both students and staff.
The report provides a summary of North Carolina’s performance on 14 child health indicators. These include categories like housing security, access to care, and health risk factors, with mental health receiving an “F” grade. The findings are intended to guide improvements for children’s health services across the state.
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