Minnesota students will soon see new mental health lessons in their classrooms.
Beginning in the 2026–27 school year, all public and charter schools must provide mental health instruction aligned with statewide health standards.
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) said the goal is to help students understand positive mental health, recognize warning signs, seek help effectively and reduce stigma.
What the new standards require
The state’s new mental and emotional health standards outline four components that districts must meet:
Understanding how to foster and maintain positive mental healthUnderstanding common mental health disorders, signs, symptoms and treatmentsUnderstanding how to seek help effectivelyUnderstanding stigma and strategies for stigma reduction
Districts can begin aligning instruction now using the commissioner‑approved draft of the 2025 Minnesota K‑12 Academic Standards in Health.
MDE said it partnered with National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Minnesota to update guidance for schools, including suggested curricula and implementation support. The agency also held webinars throughout the 2025–26 school year to help districts prepare.
The three tiers schools must follow
MDE said mental health instruction is part of a larger Comprehensive School Mental Health Systems (CSMHS) Framework, which requires districts to support students at three levels:
Tier 1: Mental Health Promotion for All Students
Universal instruction that teaches every student how to maintain mental health, understand emotions, recognize signs of distress and reduce stigma.
Tier 2: Early Identification and Early Intervention
Supports for students who show early signs of mental health concerns or are at risk of developing them.
Tier 3: Treatment and Intensive Support
Connections to mental health professionals, school‑based services and outside providers for students with significant needs.
MDE said a 2025 CAREI report cited an urgent need for stronger Tier 1 instruction statewide and recommended that all districts adopt this three‑tiered system.
For two Minnesota mothers, the change comes after years of loss
Janet Casperson said her son Sam was a witty and sarcastic 16‑year‑old who attended Blaine High School. She said he struggled after the deaths of friends.
“He lost two of his good friends to suicide in September of 2019,” she said. “We got him the help he was willing to get. Unfortunately, it was a little too much for him. Sam died by suicide January 2, 2020.”
Shannon Lee said her daughter Ashlyn and Sam had recently started dating. She said Ashlyn felt responsible for his death and did not receive the support she needed at school.
“February 18, 2020, she also took her life six weeks after Sam died,” Lee said.
Both mothers described the last six years as painful.
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“Honestly terrible,” Casperson said. “We’re on year six of them being gone, and I feel like it’s getting harder.”
“Grief is something you never get over,” Lee added. “You just continue to work to move through it.”
Both women said their children faced limited mental health support at school. They said counselors were available, but students often waited weeks for appointments.
“They could be seen in two weeks, and that kid may not be around in two weeks,” Lee said.
They said students were also dealing with bullying, social media pressure and a school environment that did not always acknowledge grief.
“Kids are not always nice, and school is a really hard place,” Lee said. “Ashlyn struggled a great deal after Sam died, and she did not have the most support at school.”
Casperson said the culture around mental health was different at the time.
“Six years ago it was kind of ‘hush hush’,” she said. “They were sweeping things under the rug and did not let the kids grieve the way they needed to.”
Both mothers said students often turned to them after their children died.
“We had hundreds and hundreds of students reach out,” Lee said. “They were struggling.”
Why the mothers became advocates
After their children died, the two women became certified in mental health first aid and spoke in classrooms about warning signs and how to ask for help.
“We spoke in front of high school classes and health classes,” Casperson said. “Kids came up to us afterward saying thank you for sharing your story. You just saved my life.”
They said talking openly helped them grieve and helped students feel less alone.
“It felt good for me to help others in that time,” Casperson said. “It was a very dark space in our lives.”
Lee said they wanted to make sure other families had support their children did not.
“It is never going to help our kids, but hopefully it will help other kids,” she said. “There were things we wish could have been there for our kids at the time.”
Why early instruction matters
David Goehl‑Manolis, Suicide Prevention Coordinator for NAMI Minnesota, said early education is critical.
“About 50% of all mental illnesses emerge by age 14,” he said. “If children become more comfortable understanding what is going on with their emotional lives, they are more likely to reach out for help.”
Goehl‑Manolis cited a statistic that said close to 53% of high school girls report that they felt sad or hopeless in the past year, and 27% of girls report that they seriously considered attempting suicide.
He said stigma remains one of the biggest barriers.
“There is still so much discomfort, fear and taboo around mental health and suicide,” he said. “Shame drives silence, and silence isolates people.”
Goehl‑Manolis said talking openly can make a measurable difference.
“Suicidal thoughts get stronger in silence, and they get weaker in conversation,” he said.
He said the new standards give schools a clear structure.
“Having specific expectations starting in grade four and becoming more detailed through high school can make a huge difference,” he said.
Minnesota’s latest student mental‑health data
The 2025 Minnesota Student Survey showed improvement in the number of students reporting long‑term mental‑health problems. Nearly one‑fourth of students surveyed — 24.9% — still reported long‑term mental, behavioral or emotional difficulties. That includes 28.1% of 11th graders, 24.2% of 9th graders, and 32.1% of 8th graders. “Long‑term” means symptoms lasting six months or more.
What parents should know
MDE said districts will choose their own curriculum as long as it meets the state standards. Parents can ask their school which materials will be used.
The agency said schools must be prepared to support students who may seek help after lessons. That includes having trained staff, clear referral pathways and student support personnel ready when instruction is delivered.
What the mothers want families and students to hear
Casperson said she wants students to know they are never as alone as they may feel.
“I guess my biggest thing is you are not alone,” she said. “There is always someone out there who is going to listen to you, who is going to have your back, who is going to get you the help you need. Do not give up.”
Lee said she wants young people to understand that dark moments can pass.
“Even when things feel so dark, like everything is closing in, there always is light,” she said. “Whatever it is right now might seem impossible, but there is always light. Do not make a permanent decision on a temporary feeling.”
What happens next
The state will release finalized health standards later this year.
Districts must show how they will meet them by fall.
For Casperson and Lee, the mandate is a step they have pushed for since losing their children.
“When we heard this information today, hallelujah,” Casperson said. “It is finally going to be implemented in schools.”
They hope the new instruction gives students the support their children did not have.
“Increasing mental health literacy and wellbeing is a core component of suicide prevention efforts. Research shows when students have equitable access to evidence-based interventions and supports, they are more likely to engage in preventive actions. When suicide prevention education is specifically provided, the mental health education statute requires district to either use the resources provided by MDE or other evidence-based instruction,” said MDE in a statement.
If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health, or emotional distress you can call or text Minnesota’s 988 Lifeline System.
Here is a list of suicide prevention and mental health resources:
If you believe someone is at risk of suicide, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggests you:
Ask questions about whether the individual is having suicidal thoughts.Call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).Seek help from a medical or mental health professional. If it is an emergency situation, take the person to a hospital.Remove any objects from a person’s home that could be potentially used in a suicide.Do not leave the person alone, if possible, until help is available.
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