This week’s roundup covers a large international survey on young people’s well-being, a milestone for Ohio’s 988 crisis line, new school mental health rules in India, a Dutch report on the pandemic’s lasting effects on young people, and two local efforts in Minnesota and Missouri to help children and teens get support.
Survey of 50,000 people in 92 countries finds young people report the lowest mental well-being
Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, November 2, 2026
A study led by Columbia researcher Kai Ruggeri and published in the journal Social Indicators Research surveyed about 50,000 people, mostly online, about areas such as optimism, vitality, self-esteem, and relationships, along with stress, depression, and anxiety. Overall scores were pulled down mainly by younger respondents, who reported less energy, emotional stability, and resilience, while relationships and a sense of meaning scored more positively across ages. The authors caution against comparing countries directly, since people in different places may answer surveys differently, and note that who chose to take part could have shaped the results. For parents, the findings add to a broad picture of young people struggling with energy and resilience, even in wealthy countries.
Ohio’s 988 crisis line passes one million contacts since its 2022 launch
WYSO, via WOSU Public Media, November 4, 2026
Ohio’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has received more than one million calls, texts, and chats since it began in July 2022. The line is staffed around the clock by specialists trained in mental health and addiction crises, who can connect people with local resources. For young people ages 20 and under, staff can also arrange free mobile response and stabilization services, which are available in all 88 Ohio counties. For Ohio families, this is a reminder that the service covers children and teens and can link them to in person support.
Gujarat, India requires wellness teams and counselors in high schools
ThePrint (Press Trust of India), November 1, 2026
The western Indian state of Gujarat issued new regulations for schools serving grades 9 to 12. Each school must form a wellness team that includes the principal, teachers, staff, and two student peer supporters, and schools with 100 or more students must hire at least one trained counselor, psychologist, or social worker, while smaller schools must set up referral links to outside services. The rules also call for extra support around exams and grade transitions, twice yearly staff training, confidential records, and an end to sorting or publicly shaming students by their marks. The rules are new, and the report does not yet say how they will be put into practice.
Dutch report finds people ages 16 to 25 had the most lasting mental health effects from the pandemic
NL Times, November 2, 2026
A five year, government backed study in the Netherlands, produced by research institute Nivel, the national public health institute RIVM, municipal health services, and others, found that young people ages 16 to 25 experienced the most severe and longest lasting mental health effects of the pandemic and its restrictions. Some well-being measures had improved by the end of 2025, but overall levels had not returned to where they were before the pandemic, and the effects were greatest for young people who lived alone, had money problems, or had mental health difficulties beforehand. The news report does not give detailed figures, and the researchers recommend checking on young people’s well-being more often during any future crisis.
Southern Minnesota expands a free program that helps families find youth mental health care
KEYC News, November 2, 2026
The Greater Mankato Area United Way’s Youth Mental Health Navigator program, which began in 2022, now supports more than 13 school districts across Blue Earth, Nicollet, Le Sueur, and Waseca counties. Navigators do not provide therapy; instead, they help families of young people ages 0 to 24 find providers who take their insurance, fit their schedules, and match their child’s needs, and they help with intake paperwork and barriers like transportation. The service is free, confidential, and voluntary. Programs like this one focus on a common hurdle for caregivers: knowing where to start when looking for care.
Missouri begins planning an AmeriCorps program to offer near peer mental health support to young people
Jefferson City News Tribune, November 6, 2026
ServMO, Missouri’s state service commission, held the first meeting of a Youth Mental Health Corps task force in Springfield, starting a yearlong process to design the program for the state. The model recruits Missourians ages 18 to 29 as AmeriCorps members to provide near peer support to children and teens in schools, clinics, and community groups, and the task force will choose evidence based approaches and build pathways into behavioral health careers. The effort is backed by national partners including the Schultz Family Foundation and Pinterest. The program is still in the planning stage, so it is not yet serving young people.
This roundup summarizes news reported by other outlets and is for general information only. It is not medical or mental health advice.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the US.
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