San Diego County Board of Education endorses May 2026 as Mental Health Awareness Month. Resolution No. 2026-15 reads:
WHEREAS, mental health is essential to everyone’s overall health and well-being; and
WHEREAS, behavioral health disorders, including major depression, schizophrenia, panic disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorders, affect many children and youth every year, indiscriminate of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or economic status; and
WHEREAS, 94% of California youth ages 14-25 report mental health concerns in an average month, with stress and anxiety cited as top challenges (California Children’s Report Card, 2026); and
WHEREAS, 57% of California parents reported it was difficult or impossible to get mental health care for their child (California Children’s Report Card, 2026); and
WHEREAS, 20% of teens aged 12-17 reported having unmet mental health needs (National Center for Health Statistics, 2023); and
WHEREAS, 17% of youth in California had at least one major depressive episode in 2024 (Mental Health America, 2025); and
WHEREAS, 53% of public schools reported a rise in students seeking school-based mental health services compared to the previous year but only 52% of public schools felt they were effective at providing mental health services to all students in need (National Center for Education Statistics, 2024-25); and
WHEREAS, 24% of seventh grade students, 23% of ninth grade students, 26% of eleventh grade students, and 29% of non-traditional students reported experiencing chronic sadness and/or hopelessness in the past year (California Healthy Kids Survey for San Diego County, 2024-25); and
WHEREAS, 16% of California 7th graders considered suicide in the past 12 months (California Children’s Report Card, 2026); and
WHEREAS, 41% of LGBTQ+ students in the U.S. reported seriously considering attempting suicide and suicidal ideation is 28% higher among LGBTQ+ youth than cisgender and heterosexual youth (Mental Health America, 2025); and
WHEREAS, a focus on prevention and early intervention efforts could greatly reduce the number of children experiencing serious mental health conditions; and
WHEREAS, children, youth, and adults can recover from mental illness and lead full, productive lives in the community; and
WHEREAS, since 1949, May has officially been recognized as Mental Health Month; and
WHEREAS, each county office of education, school district, school, elected official, business, government agency, health-care provider, organization, and citizen share the opportunity to improve mental health issues and has a responsibility to promote mental wellness and support prevention efforts.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the San Diego County Board of Education hereby declares May 2026 as Mental Health Awareness Month and thereby requests that each school district, school, elected official, business, government agency, healthcare provider, organization, and citizen, recommit our community to increasing awareness and understanding of mental health; the steps our children, youth, and adults can take to protect their mental health; and the need for appropriate and accessible services for all people, especially children and youth with mental health conditions.