New Report Warns of Declining Student Mental Health, Calls for Urgent Systemic Reform in Schools

LEHI, Utah, Jan. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — eLuma, a leading provider of behavioral health and special education services for K-12 schools, announced the release of its second annual 2025 State of Student Mental Health Report, examining the challenges and trends shaping student wellbeing during the current school year. The report reveals an alarming continuation of declining student mental health across the United States and offers practical, evidence-based strategies to help school districts strengthen district-wide student behavioral health supports.

As part of its research, eLuma surveyed over 400 school administrators, teachers, and mental health providers nationwide. This marks the second year of eLuma’s annual report, and the findings echo those of last year. Despite growing student need, more than half of public schools (52%) report they are not able to effectively provide mental health services to all students who need them, underscoring persistent gaps in staffing, funding, and provider capacity. Many of the challenges highlighted in prior years remain unresolved, signaling that current approaches are falling short and more effective and scalable solutions are needed.

Methodology

Drawing on responses from educators and school-based mental health professionals across multiple states, the report captures perspectives from school and district leaders, teachers, and special education and mental health providers responsible for student support systems. To ensure consistent, comparable results, we’ve maintained the same survey questions each year.

Key Findings

Findings confirm a troubling trend: student mental health continues to worsen, with more than half (57%) of mental health providers reporting a decline in the past year—up from 46% in 2024.
Only 4% of respondents saw any improvement, while just 12% described continuity of care as consistent and well-coordinated.
Teachers remain the least confident group, with 28% expressing low confidence in their schools’ ability to support student mental health.
Administrators continue to prioritize the same top needs year after year: caregiver engagement, professional development for staff, and universal screening systems.

“For more than thirty years in various teaching and administrator roles, I’ve seen firsthand how much educators care and how hard they work to meet students’ growing needs,” said Brandy Samuell, Director of Mental Health and Related Services at eLuma. “These findings make one thing clear: schools know what works. It’s consistent identification and intervention, caregiver engagement, and staff development. But the system of supports must evolve to make those solutions sustainable.”

As part of eLuma’s commitment to The Kennedy Forum’s Alignment for Progress initiative, the 2025 report serves as a nationwide call to action for the 2025–26 school year, urging schools, families, and communities to work together to address the youth mental health crisis.

“The system keeps asking more from the people it depends on most,” said Andy Myers, CEO of eLuma. “This report isn’t just a snapshot—it’s a signal. If we want to change the trajectory for students, we have to design systems that are flexible, human, and built for the long haul. We’re not lacking insight—we’re lacking infrastructure.”

To read the full report, please visit: https://eluma.com/blog/landing-pages/state-of-student-mental-health-2025/

About eLuma

eLuma is a leading provider of end-to-end student services for special education and behavioral health. The company’s virtual, hybrid, and on-site school-based solutions help staff properly assess, screen, and intervene to meet students’ needs while evaluating progress toward academic and behavioral goals.

Leveraging a national network of licensed providers and an innovative service platform, eLuma delivers high-quality, cost-effective therapy. Since 2011, eLuma has partnered with nearly 500 K–12 school districts to improve student outcomes and empower school staff.

Learn more at www.eLuma.com.

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Jon Kannenberg
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SOURCE eLuma

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