The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is announcing the results of the 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), which measures health-related behaviors among New Hampshire students in grades 9 through 12. The results show meaningful, sustained improvement across several key measures of adolescent mental health, continuing the reversal of pandemic-related rates reported in 2021.
“We continue to be encouraged by the incoming data on youth mental health,” said DHHS Commissioner Lori Weaver. “New Hampshire teens are telling us directly that they’re feeling more supported, more hopeful, and more connected. This progress shows that when services and supports are accessible, our youth can experience better outcomes.”
The 2025 YRBS findings show that New Hampshire’s teens are reporting healthier behaviors, stronger connections to their communities, and declining rates of substance use and thoughts of self-harm. Key findings include:
- Students reporting persistent sadness or hopelessness declined, falling to 34% in 2025, down from 44.2% in 2021, marking a steady improvement since pandemic-era highs.
- Students reporting that their mental health was “not good” most or all of the time dropped by 10%, from 36% in 2021 to 26% in 2025.
- The percentage of students reporting that they seriously considered, planned, or attempted suicide continues to decrease in 2025, compared to 2023 and 2021.
- Substance use among adolescents continues to fall, including decreases in the use of alcohol, marijuana, electronic vapor product, and the misuse of prescription pain medications.
- Students increasingly report feeling connected to their communities, with 60% saying they feel they matter to people in their community in 2025, compared to 54.8% in 2023.
New Hampshire’s progress reflects continued investment in a strong children’s behavioral health system that includes expanded primary care access, strong partnerships with community organizations, and more school-based mental health supports. Student Assistance Programs are currently embedded in 41 New Hampshire schools, and the Department’s Strong as Granite campaign has boosted awareness of statewide mental health and substance use resources. Additional efforts include New Hampshire’s Children’s System of Care and investments in New Hampshire Rapid Response and 988.
Building and sustaining a more robust youth mental health system is also a priority in New Hampshire’s 10-Year Mental Health Plan, its State Health Improvement Plan, State Suicide Prevention Plan, and Governor’s Commission on Addiction, Treatment and Prevention’s Strategic Plan, highlighting how critical youth mental health is for communities across the state.
The New Hampshire YRBS is administered every two years through partnership among DHHS, the New Hampshire Department of Education, and participating schools statewide, supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The anonymous, voluntary survey offers timely insight into emerging health trends among New Hampshire’s teens, guiding policy decisions and resource allocation that directly impact the lives of young people.
For more information about the 2025 YRBS, please visit Youth Risk Behavior Survey. To access the full report, please visit 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Report.
