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Fairfax County youth survey shows declines in substance use and improvements in many mental‑health indicators since pandemic peaks
Summary
Presenters told the School Board on Oct. 23 that Fairfax County youth reported lower rates of alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and vaping use — the lowest since 2018 — and that many mental‑health measures for grades 8, 10 and 12 have improved since 2021, though disparities remain for female, nonbinary, LGBTQ and food‑insecure students.
Fairfax County Public Schools presented county and regional results from the Fairfax County youth survey during the board’s Oct. 23 meeting. The district and county administer the voluntary, anonymous survey in partnership to measure student behaviors, mental and physical health, bullying, and protective factors.
Key findings staff highlighted: - Substance use: Reported rates of alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and vaping among FCPS youth were the lowest since 2018 and lower than national averages cited in the presentation. - Mental health: Indicators including prolonged sadness or hopelessness, stress and suicidal ideation and attempts among grades 8, 10 and 12 have improved since pandemic peaks in 2021. For example, 22% of 8th/10th/12th graders reported feeling sad or hopeless for two or more weeks — down from 25% in 2023 and 38% in 2021. - Disparities: Female, nonbinary, LGBTQ students and students from food‑insecure homes report higher rates of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation than peers; attendees stressed the need for targeted supports.
District staff described how schools use the survey: to track trends, allocate prevention and wellness resources, design social‑emotional learning, and target outreach. Staff also noted that protective factors — at least three supports in a young person’s life — strongly correlate with better outcomes and resilience.
Board members asked for further disaggregation and local heat‑map analysis to help identify geographic clusters of higher need. Staff said the county and division can produce disaggregated reports and would follow up with more localized data and context.
Sources: Board meeting transcript (Oct. 23, 2025); staff presentation notes.
