submitted by Michelle Gobert, Positive Youth Development Educator
Youth Count Report
Forest County Extension, in partnership with the Forest County Partnership Coalition, has released its 2023 Youth Count Report in which several areas of concern regarding the physical and mental health of Forest County youth are detailed.
The 2nd edition of the report provides an overview of demographic and survey data about Forest County youth and the community they live in. A large part of the report includes data from the most recent version of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which was administered in 2021, shortly after students were back in school full-time after the COVID pandemic.
According to the 2022 Kids County Data Book published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, more than 200,000 American youth lost a parent or primary caregiver to the virus. Forest County youth are no doubt included in this number. Yet many believe, including the U.S. Surgeon General, that our youth were troubled prior to the pandemic. Conditions related to violence in schools, bullying and the increased use of social media, have led to the prevalence of certain mental health challenges described by youth as “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness”.
Before the pandemic, national statistics tell us that up to 1 in 5 children, ages 3 to 17, were diagnosed as having a mental, emotional development, or behavioral disorder. Since the pandemic those numbers, continue to increase.
In 2021, 51% of Forest County High School Students, and 45% of Middle School students, reported that they had “significant problems” due to anxiety or prolonged sadness. One-third of students self-reported depression in 2021 with one in five students reporting that they have seriously considered suicide.
Youth that suffer mental health concerns may also find themselves trying to cope by misusing alcohol or other drugs. These numbers are also reflected in the county data with 42% of our high school students reporting that they have tried vaping and 30% of them reporting that they have tried marijuana.
Being under the influence of alcohol and/or other drugs, often lead youth to engage in risky behaviors including driving while under the influence and/or sexual activity.
In 2021, one in five Forest County high school students reported sending, receiving, or sharing nude photos or sexual images in the past thirty days, and 9% of high schoolers report experiencing sexual force by a dating partner.
Substance misuse may also precipitate violent acts upon youth. According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice, from 2014-2018 there were 453 total incidents of domestic abuse reported in Forest County, 112 of these cases included children. Department of Justice data also reports that from 2017 to 2021, there were 25 reportable sex offenses in Forest County, of those 25 cases, 88% of the offenses were to youth under the age of 18.
The data shared within this report is alarming yet there are key indicators that our youth are also resilient and investing in their own health. Over 51% of the youth that report vaping or use of another tobacco product state that they are trying to quit. 97% of our middle school students and 87% of our high school students report being physically active for an hour or more in the past week, with 75% of middle school students reporting that they were physically active for four or more days per week.
The intended outcome of this report is one of understanding the complex issues surrounding our youth and their daily lives. One of the roles of an UW-Extension educator is to assist local leaders and community members in gathering information to make decisions that lead to stronger, healthier, youth, families, and communities. It is my hope that this report, as well as future reports, will facilitate discussion, create action and promote positive change in our county’s overall health and well-being.
You may request a hard-copy of the report be mailed to you by contacting Michelle at michelle.gobert@wisc.edu.
