By The Numbers
6,884,000
Number of K-12 Students (2022 Projection)i
459,000
278,000
Children with major depression who do not receive treatmentiii
1:998
Ratio of School Psychologists to Students
(Recommended Ratio 1:500)
1:6,132
Ratio of School Social Workers to Students
(Recommended Ratio 1:250)
1:612
Ratio of School Counselors to Students
(Recommended Ratio 1:250)
Take Action
in California
There is a national emergency in children’s mental health. Children and youth are experiencing soaring rates of anxiety, depression, trauma, loneliness, and suicidality.
Children and youth are experiencing soaring rates of anxiety, depression, trauma, loneliness, and suicidality. Mental health challenges can affect success at school and in life, yet few students get the help they need to thrive.
The Hopeful Futures Campaign, a coalition of national organizations, is committed to ensuring that every student has access to effective and supportive school mental health care. The campaign’s school mental health report cards highlight accomplishments and provide important action steps to help address the children’s mental health crisis in every state.
At A Glance: State School Mental Health Policies
Little or no progress achieved
Some progress achieved
Meaningful progress achieved
Substantial progress achieved
HOW CALIFORNIA COMPARES State Rankings from Mental Health America iv | 2015 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
Overall State Rank for Youth Mental Health | 45 | 33 | 33 | 36 |
Youth with At Least One Major Depressive Episode in the Past Year | 289,000 / 9.17% | 401,000 / 13.23% | 415,000 / 13.71% | 459,000 / 15.22% |
Youth with Major Depressive Episodes in the | Not Asked | 245,000 / 63.9% | 259,000 / 66.0% | 278,000 / 64.5% |
Youth with Major Severe Depressive Episodes in the Past Year | Not Asked | 258,000 / 8.8% | 256,000 / 8.7% | 284,000 / 9.8% |
Youth with Severe Major Depressive Episodes | Not Asked | 68,000 / 27.5% | 59,000 / 24.6% | 72,000 / 26.1% |
Students Identified with Emotional Disturbance | 24,981 / 4.36% | 24,818 / 4.36% | 25,118 / 4.42% | 25,424 / 4.51% |
Youth with Private Insurance That Did Not | 146,713 / 32.0% | 92,000 / 7.0% | 100,000 / 7.5% | 111,000 / 8.2% |
Youth with Substance Use Disorder in the Past Year
| 237,000 / 7.50% | 40,000 / 4.63% | 122,000 / 4.04% | 137,000 / 4.55% |
ii. The state of Mental Health in America. Mental Health America. (n.d.). Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://mhanational.org/issues/state-mental-health-america.
iii. The state of Mental Health in America. Mental Health America. (n.d.). Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://mhanational.org/issues/state-mental-health-america.
iv. The state of Mental Health in America. Mental Health America. (n.d.). Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://mhanational.org/issues/state-mental-health-america.