WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) – Sixty-six percent of people think mental health is a top issue related to health and wellness in Marathon County, according to the 2026 Marathon County LIFE Report.
“Everybody has it. It’s everywhere. It’s in our schools, it’s in our work, it’s in our families,” said the executive director of NAMI Northwoods Tracy Schlegel. “If you have a brain, you have mental health. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that it’s becoming more of an issue for people, because we are, through the last few years, living through times that are stressful.”
Schlegel said instances of mental health challenges are happening younger. According to the new ‘Local Indicators for Excellence,’ or LIFE Report more teens are having suicidal thoughts.
“We all have a role to play in effectively changing things so that our kids, no matter what age, are feeling supported and cared for,” Schlegel said.
Youth depression is up to 30% for middle school students and high school students are slightly higher at 31%, according to the report.
Schlegel said there are things the community can do to address this.
“It’s teaching kids that, you know what, if you are feeling anxious, first of all, there are differences between anxiety that we all feel every day in, in our lives and anxiety that interferes with, with how you live your life,” said Schlegel.
Youth suicide attempts
The report uses data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. It found 7% of teens in high school attempted suicide. Middle school students were slightly lower at 6%.
Schlegel says one initiative NAMI Northwoods has to support mental health is ‘Raise Your Voice’. The clubs teach students about different mental health conditions and how to get help.
“It’s all about reducing stigma. Making sure that our youth know that mental health and physical health are the same thing and are equally important,” Schlegel said.
Schlegel said the club can connect students with trusted adults or 988 resources. There are 16 clubs in middle schools and high schools in north central Wisconsin.
Suicide in Marathon County
For all ages, suicide deaths in the county are up. In 2025 there were 31 suicide deaths. The year before, there were 25. Those were mostly men with firearms and it’s something NAMI Northwoods wants to focus resources on.
“It’s been longstanding, um, that men also struggle with their mental health, but they tend to do it alone and silently. And I think that if anything from this report, it has kind of motivated me more to go out into our communities and find out what do men need to feel supported,” Schlegel said.
Schlegel said a way to address mental health challenges in the county is civic engagement. She said the more people participate, whether that’s volunteering or taking part in local government, the more they will be seen and heard.
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