WATCH: Teachers share advice for students struggling with mental health

Forty-two percent of high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2021, according to the CDC 's annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey. As another school year begins, the PBS NewsHour asked teachers from its Student Reporting Labs network what advice they'd give to students struggling with their mental health.

"Our students are struggling and our teachers are struggling, and mental health is a major, major issue that has to be talked about," educator Mindy Pavone of New York said. "If we just make it a norm that it's not just one person, I think we can combat a lot of those problems."

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or suicidal ideation, you can call 988 to access the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or find help online at https://988lifeline.org/.

This post was produced and edited by Julia Griffin, Chris Schwalm, Yasmeen Alamiri, Dan Cooney, Steff Staples and Erica R Hendry.

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