SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio youth leaders and city leaders launched a survey on Tuesday aimed at gauging the mental health of young people in the community.
The Teen Mental Health Survey was made by high school students for young people between the ages of 12 to 19. The online survey will be open until April 10.
The survey is a partnership between the San Antonio Youth Commission, Project Worth Teen Ambassadors, the Department of Humans Services and Metro Health.
The groups officially launched the survey during an event in front of City Hall on Tuesday.
The results will be used to help San Antonio youth leaders make suggestions about what would help improve mental health in teens.
Personal information will be confidential, but leaders did warn that some of the questions in the survey could trigger uncomfortable thoughts and feelings as the survey addresses drug use, self-harm and other mental health challenges.
“We know it can be hard to talk about these things, and we appreciate everyone’s honesty in responding to these questions,” the organizers posted on the survey webpage.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General have all declared the mental health of children and adolescents a national crisis.
The webpage also reminds youth that there is a crisis text line available. Young people can get free, 24/7 emotional support and information by texting “HOME” to 741-74.
The survey is available in Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog and Pashto and can be found by clicking here.