Georgia Parents Support School-Based Mental Health Services Amid Treatment Gaps, Emory Poll Finds

Two in five school-aged children with mental and behavioral health diagnoses in the United States go without treatment. A new poll released today by researchers at the Emory Center for Child Health Policy reveals that Georgia parents overwhelmingly support school-based mental health services—a potential solution to addressing the nation’s youth mental health crisis.  

The State of Child Health and Well-Being in Georgia 2026 report includes the results from a poll of 1,002 Georgia parents on a range of topics related to child health, including mental and behavioral health conditions and treatment.  

Key mental health findings from the report include:

• Mental and behavioral health conditions are common. Parents report that ADHD/ADD affects 29% of school-aged children, which includes 19.9% diagnosed and 9.5% potentially undiagnosed, along with anxiety 23% (10.7% diagnosed, 12% undiagnosed) and depression 15% (5.1% diagnosed, 9.8% undiagnosed).  
• Schools are a crucial access point for mental health services. Among children that receive treatment for diagnosed mental and behavioral health conditions, 40% rely at least partially on school-based services.  
• Parents support school-based mental health services. Eighty-three percent of Georgia parents support universal mental health screenings and 78% support mental health treatment in schools.  

“These findings show that Georgia parents are concerned about their children’s mental health.  While conditions such as anxiety disorders and depression are highly treatable, most parents report their children’s mental health problems have not been formally diagnosed or treated,” says Ben Druss MD, Professor and Rosalynn Carter Chair in Mental Health at Rollins. “There is an urgent need to expand screening for common mental disorders, and to ensure that those who screen positive get appropriate care. Georgia’s school-based mental health (SBMH) services serve an essential role in preventing and treating mental disorders among youth in the state.”  

Proposals for federal legislation to support expanded school-based mental health services are ongoing. Expanded screening and treatment services can help identify and address possible undiagnosed conditions many Georgia parents are concerned about for their children. About a third of school districts nationally screen for mental health conditions, while Illinois recently mandated universal mental health screenings in schools sparking debate over the role of schools in addressing students’ mental health.  

These findings are part of the second annual report for The State of Child Health and Well-Being in Georgia. The report provides a comprehensive assessment, using parents’ voices, across domains of mental and behavioral health, food insecurity, vaccines, technology, and injury prevention. This is a unique effort that combines novel data collection on child health indicators and parental opinion on child-focused policies, ensuring that parents’ voices and opinions are represented in policy recommendations that can be leveraged by state and local decision-makers.  

“This report gives us a clearer picture of the challenges Georgia families are facing and, just as importantly, the solutions parents believe can make a difference,” says Stephen Patrick, MD, O. Wayne Rollins Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management. “Across food security, childhood vaccination, technology use, water safety, and other issues, parents consistently point toward practical steps that schools, communities, and policymakers can take. I hope people across Georgia will read the full report, listen to what families are telling us, and use these findings to improve the health and well-being of children across our state.” 

The Emory Center for Child Health Policy is part of the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.