CINCINNATI, Ohio — A new survey of students across the Tri-State is offering insight into how young people are doing both inside and outside the classroom, highlighting signs of progress along with ongoing challenges.
What You Need To Know
PreventionFirst!’s 2026 Student Survey includes nearly 24,000 students across 45 Tri-State schools
Mental health indicators and substance use show improvement
Students report early exposure to substances and ongoing stress
The survey, conducted by PreventionFirst!, includes responses from nearly 24,000 students in grades 7 through 12 across 45 schools in the region.
The findings come as youth mental health remains a concern statewide, with about one in three Ohio high school students reporting feeling persistently sad or hopeless, according to state data.
PreventionFirst! President and CEO Nicole Schiesler says the survey provides both a snapshot of current trends and a roadmap for future efforts.
“It’s a blueprint for what we want to do next,” Schiesler said. “It also is evidence-based in the way that we collect the data and report the data.”
The latest results show improvements in several key areas, including mental health and substance use.
Mental health trends:
17.6% of students reported feeling depressed, sad or hopeless most or all of the time in the past 30 days
31% reported feeling nervous or anxious most or all of the time
41.7% identified stress as a major factor affecting their mental health
48.7% cited screen time as a contributing factor
47% said they can pull themselves out of a bad mood often or a lot of the time
Substance use trends:
Most students reported not using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs
Past 30-day marijuana use dropped from 6.3% in 2024 to 4.3% in 2026
Vaping reached its lowest recorded level at 6.1%
Schiesler said those improvements reflect the impact of increased awareness and open conversations.
“It encourages conversations in the home, in the school,” she said. “The more conversations that take place, that is how we tackle stigma.”
Still, challenges remain, particularly when it comes to early exposure to substances.
The survey found some students are first introduced to drugs and alcohol before the age of 12.
Sarah Sawmiller, senior director of data integration at PreventionFirst!, said some students are using substances as a way to cope.
“They don’t really have a lot of understanding of other healthy coping mechanisms,” Sawmiller said.
Despite those concerns, she says the data is helping schools and communities respond more effectively.
“We try to work closely with our schools to help them receive as many benefits as they can from that data,” she said.
In Butler County, Ohio, leaders have used the survey for more than 20 years to guide programming and secure funding.
Butler County Family and Children First Council, a local collaborative that brings together schools, agencies and service providers to support children and families, has relied on the data to shape its work.
Beth Race, executive director of the council, says the findings have helped support initiatives like youth-led summits focused on mental health.
“The kids help plan the whole day,” Race said. “They told the adults what they want the programming to look like around improving their mental health and well-being.”
Schiesler said the survey’s impact goes beyond schools, helping shape policy and community-wide strategies aimed at supporting young people.
“And a lot of communities will use their youth leaders to carry that message to legislators,” she said. “It’s not always just coming from adults.”
View the regional findings of the survey below: