New Research Shows More Than 70% of Voters and Parents Across Ten States Support A Comprehensive Solution to Combating the Youth Mental Health Challenge

Voters and Parents, Worried About Youth Mental Health, Reject One-Size-Fits-All Solutions in New Survey and In-Depth Conversation Findings

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As kids across the U.S. head back to school, the Coalition to Empower our Future (CEF) today released findings from a new survey among voters, many of whom are parents, across 10 states – Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. The research shows widespread concern about youth mental health, which voters view as multifaceted and complex, and reveals that more than seven in 10 voters and parents favor a comprehensive approach over a narrow one that targets phones and similar devices. Conducted in partnership with Mercury Analytics, the research surveyed 6,000 registered voters in June 2025 and engaged nearly 300 participants in online discussions in August.

"For so many families, the new school year means new beginnings, but also new stressors and anxieties. Parents intuitively understand that these pressures don't all look the same, and so we need to be looking at the challenge holistically," said Glen Weiner, executive director of the Coalition to Empower our Future. "The research affirms this intuition and underscores an important opportunity for us to come together, look at the problem from every angle, and have a comprehensive conversation about how to support both parents and kids as we navigate the youth mental health challenge."

Respondents overwhelmingly recognize youth mental health as a complex issue driven by a multitude of factors, such as bullying, substance abuse, home instability, social media, peer pressure, exposure to violence, and more. Across the country, the vast majority of voters and parents agree that every young person's mental health experience is unique and that acknowledging this complexity is key to improving outcomes.

• "Mental health care is complex, so there should not be a one-size-fits-all solution."
  – AL Voter, Parent
• "You can't really address the full problem if you're just focusing on one perceived area, especially because it may vary greatly from one youth to another."
  – CA Voter, Parent
• "The youth aren't a monolith, and why they're struggling isn't the same for everyone."
  – TX Voter

Asked about how they view the state of youth mental health and wellbeing, the vast majority say the situation is bad and getting worse. More than 60 percent of voters and parents personally know young people struggling with mental health challenges but do not know where to turn for help in their communities. They also report significant challenges when it comes to accessing mental health resources.

• "Not much has been done to help teens struggling with mental health."
  – IL Voter, Parent
• "It's very concerning to me as a parent that I would not know where to go if I knew a teen who was experiencing mental health issues."
  – FL Voter, Parent

Respondents strongly endorse prioritizing solutions that create safe, supportive school environments; improve accessibility to mental health care; and equip parents with tools and resources to support their children. Nearly 90 percent of voters and parents agree these steps are critical to improving youth mental health.

• "If parents don't have help, then our kids will fail."
  – WA Voter
• "Our youth need to feel safe when seeking help with mental health issues."
  – AL Voter, Parent

CEF's research underscores the urgent need for a fulsome conversation across the country about inclusive strategies that address the many dimensions of youth mental health and encourage families, educators, policymakers, and communities to be part of the solution.

The full research findings can be found HERE.

About the Coalition to Empower our Future

Coalition to Empower our Future is an organization that aims to bring together a range of voices to fully inform solutions that empower youth, parents, communities and society. The Coalition to Empower our Future supports solutions that are inclusive of the full spectrum of factors impacting youth mental health. Former Montana Governor Steve Bullock, former assistant secretary for the Administration for Children and Family Services at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services January Contreras, and former U.S. Representative Carlos Curbelo serve on the board of directors of the Coalition to Empower our Future. Dr. Caroline Carney, a board-certified psychiatrist and internist, is a health executive and clinician who serves as an expert advisor to the coalition.

To learn more, visit empowerourfuturecoalition.com or follow Coalition to Empower our Future on Facebook, X and YouTube.

SOURCE Coalition to Empower our Future