When students return to school, many will deal with mental health or substance issues

As students head back to school this fall, they will cope with more than academics.

Student drug, alcohol and tobacco use and mental health issues are declining in Erie County and are basically in line with statewide results, according to 2023 Pennsylvania Youth Survey results, but the numbers, especially the numbers of students reporting mental health issues, are still too high.

The survey is funded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, and Department of Education. County and statewide results are shared to help communities address issues confronting children and teens.

Here's how Erie County students in grades six, eight, 10 and 12 in participating schools responded last fall, compared to peers in 2019:

Alcohol and marijuana

• 30.1% tried alcohol at some time, down from 40.7%;
• 11.9% consumed alcohol in the past month, down from 15.2%;
• 14.3% used marijuana at some time, down from 19%;
• 7.9% used marijuana in the past month, down from 10.9%.

Tobacco and vaping

• 6.6% smoked a cigarette at some time, down from 13.9%;
• 2.2% smoked in the past month, down from 4.1%;
• 16.4% vaped at some time, (no number available for previous years);
• 9.5% vaped in the past month, compared to 20.7%.

Mental health concerns

• 41.5% felt depressed or sad most days in the past year, down from 42.2%;
• 38.7% at times think they are no good at all, down from 41.4%;
• 18.1% said they seriously considered suicide, down from 21.6%;
• 17.4% cut, scraped, burned or otherwise harmed themselves, down from 17.5%.

The survey

The Pennsylvania Youth Survey has been conducted in odd-numbered years since 1989 and now is offered to public, private, charter and parochial schools statewide.

Schools and school districts choose whether to participate. In Erie County, Northwestern was the only district that did not participate in 2023.

Montessori Regional Charter School and Perseus House Charter School of Excellence were the only private, charter or parochial schools that did participate.

Students respond anonymously and can choose not to participate. Nearly three-quarters of the 10,470 students in grades six, eight, 10 and 12 in participating Erie County schools responded on paper or online last fall.

The Erie Times-News on Tuesday will report what teens have to say about the pressures that can lead to substance use and depression, and what adults have to say about what's being done to help children and teens cope.

Also watch for state results in upcoming reporting from the USA TODAY Network in Pennsylvania.

Contact Valerie Myers at vmyers@timesnews.com .

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: When students return to school, many will deal with mental health or substance issues