>> Tonight, we discuss mental health and suicide.
We wanted to let you know as we begin our program.
First up, students today
are coping with myriad different challenges
than their parents.
And rates of depression and anxiety are on the rise.
As part of our 2023 budget coverage,
Steven Potter reports mental health support systems
cannot keep pace with the growing needs
that burden young people in this state.
>> Our students are hurting right now
in a way that I've never seen
in my 15 years of education.
>> It's prevalent everywhere.
You can't walk through a classroom
without seeing someone who might be struggling.
>> Steven: Students today
have many of the same challenges
they've had for generations, keeping up with classwork
juggling things like sports, part-time jobs and friendships.
But students today are also dealing with a new challenge,
an increase in problems with their mental health.
Experts say these problems are widespread
and if left untreated, mental health problems can,
and in many cases already do, have severe consequences.
>> We're seeing a lot more struggles
and this trend has been going on for a while now.
We see a lot of increases
in suicidal ideation as well as suicide attempts.
So some really alarming stuff.
And again, it's been trending for a while,
but seems to really be on an uptick lately.
>> While every student is unique
and each faces their own challenges,
many young people across the state said they struggle
with similar mental health issues
such as anxiety, isolation, and depression.
A survey released last year
by the State Department of Public Instruction,
found that 52% of students reported having anxiety.
34% said they were sad or hopeless every day,
22% of students reported harming themselves
and 25% of female students
have seriously considered suicide.
>> There's a lot of different research and studies looking
into the root cause of what we're seeing now
in our youth mental health.
Youth are dealing with a lot of things that us adults
didn't deal with when we were younger.
Today's youth have a lot more information coming at them
at all the time, but it is still a lot, I think,
for these young people who are still trying to
kind of figure out how to manage their own emotions,
how to process big information,
with the pandemic in the middle of all this.
That's something that was pretty jarring.
Being a youth during something like that,
during a national trauma is gonna really disrupt
some of their own growth, their emotional growth,
their brain development.
And now we're kind of seeing the after effects of that.
[people chanting]
>> Steven: In addition to the pandemic,
young people today are also navigating extreme
political division and heavy use of social media as well
as a fear of gun violence and economic uncertainty.
>> A lot of what we see
with our students is trying to find their place
in the world, and I think that that hopelessness piece,
it's not the best place out there in the world, right?
Between climate change
and any of the fractious behavior
we have between humans.
It's hard for them to look
out at that and think like, yeah, I have a future.
>> Steven: 17 year old Ava in Winnebago County has dealt
with mental health challenges for years.
>> I always had a really bad anxiety
and it started when I was really little
with my mom and separation anxiety.
And then it's kind of spiraled in just a little bit
of depression 'cause when I feel like depression and anxiety
you go hand in hand a lot.
But I realized as I got older
that it's building up and it needs to be talked about.
And I needed someone to help guide me.
>> Steven: Ava's mental health struggles
have also impacted her physical health.
>> I have psychological non epileptic seizures due
to the traumatic event in my life and build up anxiety
and noise being in fight, flight or freeze mode.
So my body physically will freeze when I get super anxious.
>> Steven: Eva found counseling and help in an alternative
high school program, but not all students in Wisconsin
are able to get the therapy and support they need.
According to data
from the Madison Population Health Institute,
there's an extreme lack
of mental health providers in Wisconsin's rural counties.
Some of the worst areas in the state include
Florence County, which has just one counselor
for every 4,300 residents,
Pepin County, which has just one mental health provider
for every 7,300 residents.
And at the bottom of the list is Buffalo County,
which has just one mental health provider
for every 13,000 residents.
The American School Counselor Association recommends
that there be one in-school counselor
for every 250 students, but Wisconsin averages one counselor
for every 378 students.
As a school psychologist for more than 30 years,
UW-La Crosse professor Rob Dixon
has seen this staffing shortage problem firsthand.
>> When you're dealing with a shortage of some of those
important staff members
and an increase in the number of mental health concerns,
it kind of hits it both ways
and that's something that we're trying to deal with.
>> Steven: UW-La Crosse has created an online
program for teachers who want to become school psychologists.
The program goal, Dixon says,
is to attract educators in rural areas.
>> So can we deliver something
in a way that they can keep their jobs
and keep their family and keep their roots
in their community, but just add the skills.
In some ways, give that school psychology away
so that they can, they can use those tools and move forward
and help the kids that they know in their community.
>> Steven: But mental health experts
say students need a lot
more help right now, and that means more state funding.
>> I'm declaring 2023, the year of mental health.
>> Steven: That was Governor Tony Evers back
in January during his state of the state address.
Since then, he's laid out a plan that includes more
than $250 million specifically set aside
for student mental health initiatives.
Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee, however,
stripped all of it from the state budget.
>> I'm very saddened that kids are struggling.
When I think back to my time
these are not things that I personally struggled
with to the extent
that I'm seeing that kids are struggling with today.
>> Steven: Republican senator
Rachael Cabral-Guevara is the vice chair
of a Senate committee that addresses mental health
and other issues facing children and families.
She says she wants more financial support
for student mental health issues.
>> Funding for resources that are already established as well
as resources that are available in the future,
may that be in grant form
may that be in nonprofits, may that be for profits.
>> Steven: But the senator who's also a nurse practitioner
stopped short of saying how much funding.
>> I don't know if there's an exact number,
but I do believe and I do support the funding
to adequately support these programs,
so that people can get the help that they need.
>> Steven: Young people are turning
to another place to get help with their mental health.
Each other.
At Merrill High School in northern Wisconsin
there's the Raise Voice Student Club.
>> The mission statement that goes
behind Raise Your Voice is we are dedicated
to breaking the stigma around mental health.
So we do that through monthly meetings with our club members
and a lot of activities out in the community.
>> Steven: This spring, the club members held
a community walk to raise awareness
and show support for those with mental health issues.
Students like Reggie say they're becoming
more open with each other
about their day-to-day mental health challenges.
>> I don't have an issue sitting down
and saying like I'm very anxious today
and I'm having a hard time functioning.
And they will sit there and be like, that's okay.
And you know, not every day can be perfect
and I can have these really insightful
and mature conversations with my friends
over how I'm feeling and vice versa,
because we all have a general understanding
that it's something that happens
and it's not something that can just, puff, go away.
>> Steven: Students say supporting each other
and breaking down the stigma
around mental health struggles can make a big difference.
>> I think that it's really important to also
make our peers understand that this is occurring
around you and here's what you can do to help people.
Because that is gonna,
what goes around comes around.
It's gonna come back to you.
People are gonna help you if you're down
if you help others.
>> Steven: For "Here & Now", I'm Steven Potter.