Detroit and Flint teens are struggling with their mental health – and worried adults around them feel ‘helpless’

Teens in Detroit and Flint carry burdens beyond schoolwork, including economic hardship, discrimination, family responsibilities, and uncertainty about the future. These pressures were shared in 2024 focus groups in Detroit and 2026 community meetings in Flint. A pediatric psychologist and researcher with over a decade of experience in Michigan notes that today’s teens face threats to their well-being that adults may not immediately recognize. For example, many students report feeling exhausted every day, with some struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, or substance use like alcohol and marijuana. These issues are often linked to unaddressed mental health challenges or as coping mechanisms for stress. School personnel, including teachers and administrators, observed these struggles firsthand, describing students as physically and mentally worn down.

The mental health struggles of teens in Detroit and Flint reflect broader national trends. In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveyed over 20,000 U.S. high school students and found that nearly 4 in 10 experienced persistent sadness and hopelessness, while 1 in 5 had seriously considered suicide. The data also showed disparities: young women were about twice as likely as young men to report these issues, and teens identifying as LGBTQ+ were two to three times more likely to face mental health challenges than their heterosexual peers. Additionally, Black teens were less likely to report poor mental health but more likely to report attempting suicide compared to white teens. These findings highlight how certain groups face greater risks, often due to systemic or social factors.

Teens in Detroit and Flint often face stress from challenges outside the classroom, such as housing instability, financial strain, and transportation difficulties. These issues are compounded by family stress, including parents working multiple jobs, caretaking for siblings or older family members, family conflict, or teens themselves working to support their families. By age 18, most youth will have experienced at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE), which refers to potentially traumatic events like abuse, witnessing violence, growing up in a household with substance use or mental health problems, or instability due to parental separation or incarceration. Educators in the focus groups noted that students bring these experiences to school, making it harder for them to focus on learning.

In August 2026, Flint experienced six shootings in a single weekend, including two fatal incidents, with one victim being a teenage boy. This violence reflects broader concerns about youth gun violence in both Detroit and Flint. Local leaders, educators, advocates, and law enforcement are working on initiatives like the Community Safety Collaborative Dashboard to address these issues and prevent future incidents. The impact of violence on teens’ mental health is significant, as it adds to the stress and trauma they already face in their daily lives.

Teens are not the only ones struggling; parents and educators also feel overwhelmed. Parents on advisory boards described competing demands, stress, and concerns about their teens’ well-being. Educators in focus groups shared feelings of helplessness, especially when responding to student crises like suicide attempts. Recent data shows high levels of stress and burnout among parents and educators, with educator distress linked to poorer student mental health outcomes. This highlights the need for support systems that address the well-being of both teens and the adults who care for them.

Teens, parents, and community members emphasize the importance of being involved in creating mental health interventions. They believe that programs should be built with them, not for them. Teens often hesitate to seek mental health help due to concerns about being misunderstood, lacking the words to describe their emotions, or not knowing whom to trust. Research suggests that safe spaces—environments where providers are trustworthy, affirm teens’ identities, and make them feel seen and understood—are essential for effective mental health support. In Flint, a teen advisory board of 12- to 17-year-olds meets regularly to help develop a program promoting well-being, emphasizing the need for food, fun, social connection, and mentorship without lectures or judgment.