South Heartland District Health Department

SHDHD Board of Health passes resolution on social media and youth mental wellness

December 06, 2024

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The Board of Health for South Heartland District Health Department (SHDHD) passed a resolution at their November meeting recommending that schools and other youth-serving organizations adopt policies to limit access to and use of cell phones and social media.

This action came following the Board’s review and discussion of the U.S. Surgeon General’s advisories, as well as national and local data about youth social media use.

A May 2023 Advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General presented evidence on the impacts of social media on the mental health of children and adolescents. It stated “we cannot conclude social media is sufficiently safe for children and adolescents.” The advisory outlined steps policymakers, parents, youth, and technology companies can take to mitigate the risk of harm to children and adolescents. In June 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General called for warning labels on social media platforms.

According to SHDHD health director Michele Bever, the national and local trends are concerning. “Social media use by our nation’s youth is nearly universal with up to 95% of youth ages 13–17 reporting using a social media platform, and more than a third saying they use social media ‘almost constantly.’”

“These trends are mirrored closely in the South Heartland District,” Bever said. According to SHDHD, nearly 90% of 9-12 graders reported using social media. Eighty percent (four of every five) reported they use social media at least 1x per day (75% of 9th graders, 77% of 10th graders, 85% of 11th graders, and 79% 12th graders). Approximately one in every three reported they use social media more than once every hour (highest is 40-42% of 10-11th grade girls).

Dr. Kathleen Amyot, MD, who serves as the physician member on the Board of Health, summarized reports and studies from a variety of peer-reviewed publications to share with the Board. She stated that “social media offers opportunities for social connection, self-expression, and access to supportive communities, particularly if the child is in a marginalized group.”

On the other hand, according to Dr. Amyot, “social media has been associated with increased mental health disorders, bullying victimization, poor sleep and diet, decreased self-esteem, lower socialization skills, and decreased academic performance.”

“The Board is directly concerned with the protection and promotion of health, safety, and welfare of the residents of Adams, Clay, Nuckolls, and Webster Counties,” said Board President Sandra (Sam) Nejezchleb of Clay County. “With this resolution, the board is encouraging adoption of policies that minimize the risk of harm for all children and adolescents, while promoting education on - and support for - healthy and responsible use of social media,” she said.

Bever said the health department is identifying tools for parents, caretakers, schools, and youth-serving organizations to help them adopt and implement model policies. The department will also be working to provide access to training and guidance to help adults promote age-appropriate social media use and to model healthy behaviors with social media and electronic devices, generally.

                                     For more information, contact South Heartland District Health Department at 1-877-238-7595.

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