Healthy Youth Survey
Contact Information
Accessing your data and general questions
Dr. Doua Kha
Student Behavior Support Program Supervisor
608-320-9140
HYS Administration and AskHYS website
Susan Richardson
Looking Glass Analytics
The Healthy Youth Survey (HYS) is a statewide, collaborative effort of OSPI, the State Department of Health (DOH), Health Care Authority (HCA), and the Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB). The survey asks students their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors pertaining to a variety of health and safety topics, including school climate and community safety, anxiety and depression, substance use and abuse, and healthy eating habits and physical activity. Results from the survey are located on the Healthy Youth Survey website.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who takes the Healthy Youth Survey?
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Students in 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th grade take the survey. In smaller districts, where there are 150 students or less in a grade, the survey can be administered to students in 7th, 9th and 11th grades. To participate, schools need to have at least 15 students in a grade.
- How is the survey taken?
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The survey takes about 50 minutes to complete and should be completed during a class period.
To participate, principals must agree to the following survey administration procedures:
- Administer the survey during the allocated administration time.
- Notify parents and students about the survey using the approved survey notification letter and methods. Schools must also verify that they followed the proper notification.
- Offer an alternative activity for those students that choose not to participate in the survey.
**Correctional facilities are not eligible to participate based on Human Research Review rules.
- What questions are asked?
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The survey covers a wide variety of topics, including:
- Abuse
- Attendance
- Activities and Clubs
- Alcohol
- Asthma
- Bullying/Harassment
- Children’s Hope Scale
- Community Connectedness
- Demographics (age, gender, ethnicity)
- Drug use and abuse
- Gambling
- Gangs
- Honesty
- Marijuana
- Mental Health (depression, anxiety, suicide)
- Nutrition
- Physical Activity
- Safety-Related Behaviors/Violence
- School Climate
- School Support
- Screen Time (including video games)
- Sexual Health
- Sexual Orientation
- Support from Friends, Family & Adults
- Texting and Driving
- Vaping/Electronic Cigarettes
Survey questions are primarily derived from 4 established surveys that have been used throughout the United States.
- Communities that Care: Social Development Research Group, University of Washington
- Monitoring the Future: Institute of Social Research, University of Michigan
- Youth Risk and Behavior Surveillance System: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Global Youth Tobacco Survey: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- How are the results used?
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Data from the survey can help raise awareness of youth thoughts, feelings and behaviors and provide insight on current health trends and concerns.
The results can help schools make evidence-based decisions that lead not only to positive academic outcomes but also provides information that allows schools to identify conditions that impact student learning and the overall school climate.
The data can also be used by schools and communities to apply for grants, and inform programming and planning.
Healthy Youth Survey Resources
- Alignment of AWSP Leadership Framework and the Healthy Youth Survey
- Basics of the Healthy Youth Survey
- HYS EDS Access instructions
- HYS Results Access instructions
- HYS Q X Q Analysis instructions
- What are Risk and Protective Factors
2023 Survey Questions by Topic
- 2023 Attendance Questions
- 2023 Mental Health Questions
- 2023 Physical Health Questions
- 2023 School Climate Questions
- 2023 Substance Use Questions
- Children's Hope Scale
Other Resources
Mental Health
- Safe Schools FIT Toolkit
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention - Get Help
- "Gizmo's Pawesome Guide to Mental Health" (how to talk to kids about mental health)
Tobacco & Vaping
- Info on E-Cigarettes for parents, educators, and health care providers
- E-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov
- Smoke free teens.gov