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Youth survey shows declines in some depressive traits since 2022 but officials warn suicide risk remains
Summary
City and youth presenters reported that San Antonio’s teen mental health survey found reductions in self‑reported depressive traits between 2022 and 2024, but disparities and high levels of suicidal ideation among LGBTQ+ and gender‑diverse youth remain; officials said ARPA-funded services reached thousands and requested continued investment and tracking.
Youth leaders and Metro Health officials presented the City of San Antonio’s teen mental health survey to the Community Health Committee on Dec. 2, highlighting improvements since 2022 but underscoring persistent risks for certain groups and ongoing needs for school‑based services.
Robert Jimenez of the San Antonio Youth Commission and teen ambassador Natalie Salcedo described why youth‑led data matters. Jimenez said the survey gives "a good representation of how the city is doing with mental health among teens," and Natalie told the committee the survey amplifies youth voices and can guide investments in counseling and school resources.
Rebecca Flores, the education program administrator, summarized the survey history and findings. The 2022 survey produced 846 valid responses and found that 37% of respondents reported an inability to perform day‑to‑day tasks, 49% reported feeling helpless or hopeless, and 24% reported smoking, vaping or drug use. After technical issues in 2023, the 2024 survey produced 1,455 valid responses and showed decreases on those measures (25% inability to perform daily tasks; 36% feeling helpless/hopeless; 10% reporting substance use).
Flores emphasized that the city used the survey to inform spending: the Community Health and Environment Committee previously recommended allocating $18,000,000 in ARPA funds to youth mental health programs and the city provided $100,000 to the San Antonio Youth Commission for youth‑led grants and training. Flores recounted microgrants and teen trainings the commission funded: "They received 147 proposals and funded 27 projects with at least one project in every council district."
Jesse Higgins, Metro Health’s chief mental health officer, placed survey results in a broader data context: county emergency‑department discharge rates and 911 mental‑health call volumes rose during the pandemic and are now showing encouraging downward trends, though teens (ages 14–18) still report higher rates of suicidal ideation and attempts than other age groups. Higgins noted that school‑based mental health contracts funded through the general fund and ARPA are expected to serve at least 650 clients in fiscal year 2026.
Councilmembers welcomed youth participation and asked about next steps. Several members urged establishing a mental‑health option within 911 dispatch, and others pressed Metro Health for further evaluation tying program investments to long‑term outcomes and cost savings. Officials also flagged state policy questions: Texas Senate Bill 12 (effective Sept. 1) changes what schools may provide without parental consent, and partners reported confusion about implementation.
What’s next: SACI and Project Worth members are developing the 2026 survey with a tentative launch date of March 2; Metro Health and DHS said they will continue to use survey results to guide funding priorities and to monitor school‑based service capacity as ARPA funds exhaust.
