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Weston student‑health survey shows declines in some mental‑health risks but concerns remain on suicide and alcohol use
Summary
MetroWest 2023 survey results presented to the committee show participation rates of ~82% (high school) and ~86% (middle school), with a decline in reported depressive symptoms to about 14% overall but persistent risks for subgroups (LGBTQ students, students with disabilities) and ongoing concerns about alcohol and gambling.
The Weston School Committee reviewed the 2023 MetroWest student‑health survey and district response programs during a presentation by Mitch Finegan, head of health and wellness. Finegan said the district achieved strong participation — about 82% at the high school and roughly 86% at the middle school — and reported that many mental‑health risk measures fell from 2021 levels.
“At about 14%,” Finegan said, “that means about one out of every seven students reported depressive symptoms in the prior 12 months,” a decline from 2021 figures. He reported decreases in self‑injury and in suicidal ideation/attempts compared with the 2021 survey. Finegan cautioned those improvements still leave nontrivial numbers of students in serious distress: the data showed about 2% of middle‑school students and just under 2% of high‑school students reported a suicide attempt in the prior reporting period.
The presentation broke out higher‑risk subgroups: students identifying as LGBTQ and students who self‑report disabilities experienced higher rates of depression, self‑injury and suicidal thoughts than the general population, though Finegan said these groups also recorded improvements since 2021. He also flagged digital‑media measures: students spending three or more hours daily on social media or smartphones were more likely to report cyberbullying and depressive symptoms.
On substance use, Finegan reported generally low rates at the middle‑school level but noted the high school shows persistent alcohol use and binge drinking — he said roughly 70% of students who reported any current drinking also reported binge drinking in the prior 30 days — and small but noteworthy upticks in prescription‑drug misuse and some other substances. The district is expanding tiered interventions (Tier 1 universal prevention, Tier 2 targeted groups, Tier 3 intensive supports), increasing counseling capacity and piloting curricula such as Teen Intervene and updated substance‑use prevention programs.
Committee members asked about data accuracy, stigma and the survey context; Finegan said administration protocols (opt‑out options, supervised, whole‑school administration and spacing) and high participation rates give confidence in the results but that underreporting is still possible. The full report is publicly available and the district plans to use MetroWest data tools to run follow‑up analyses and to inform budget requests for continued wellness programming.
