Survey of WA youth shows reasons for optimism, but challenges remain

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Key takeaways from the Washington Healthy Youth Survey 

By Venice Buhain

Every two years the State of Washington’s Healthy Youth Survey takes the temperature of the health and well-being of the state’s middle and high school students.  

Since 2002, students in public schools have been asked questions about topics such as bullying, safety, alcohol use, and support from parents and peers. The latest survey from 2025 was released earlier this year.  

State agencies including the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Washington Health Care Authority, the Department of Health, and the Liquor and Cannabis Board conduct the Healthy Youth Survey every other year. The survey helps inform state and local policies and programs for schools, health care providers, and others. 

In 2025, the results for 10th graders showed some positive signs. One out of four reported depressive feelings. Three out of ten reported general anxiety. Three out of four, or 75%,  expressed strong feelings of hope. 

“Youth are doing pretty well, especially in school,” said Sarah Mariani, who manages the Washington State Health Care Authority’s Substance Use Disorder Prevention and Mental Health Promotion section. “And so where we have made efforts to enhance supports in schools, it seems that some of those efforts may be contributing to the success of youth health and well-being.” 

The data also reveal some notable trends over time. For instance, in 2025, about 7% of 10th graders reported drinking alcohol in the past month — much lower than 28% in 2010 who said they had alcohol recently. Similarly, in 2010, 24% of 10th graders said they were bullied or harassed, compared to just 15% of 10th graders who reported the same in 2025. 

But when the data are broken down into groups, that picture changes for some students. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender 10th graders reported being bullied at nearly twice the rates of their peers. Native students reported similar numbers. 

A major takeaway is that support from adults remains important, Mariani said. 

“It doesn’t all have to happen just at the state structure or just in schools,” she said. “Community is what helps develop the totality for our youth.” 

 Healthy Youth Survey dashboard is available at http://askhys.net.