Picente Announces Results of 2025 Teen Assessment Project

County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. today announced the findings of the 2025 Oneida County Teen Assessment Project (TAP), a comprehensive survey of local students that found dramatic declines in youth substance use and improvements in mental health while identifying sexual harassment, cyberbullying and excessive screen time as growing concerns.

The survey, completed by 3,644 students in grades 7, 9 and 11 across 11 Oneida County school districts, marks the seventh TAP since its inception in 1999 and provides a comparison with surveys conducted before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The findings demonstrate that years of investment in prevention, education and youth services are paying dividends," Picente said. "Today's teenagers are making healthier choices than they were just a few years ago. They're drinking less, using marijuana less, vaping less and misusing prescription drugs less. Those are remarkable gains and something our schools, families and community partners should be proud of."

Among the report's most significant findings:

• Nearly 79 percent of students reported never consuming alcohol, compared to just 45 percent in 2019.
• Nearly 90 percent reported never using marijuana, up from 74 percent six years ago.
• Vaping continued its downward trend, with 87 percent reporting no vaping during the previous 30 days.
• Prescription and over-the-counter drug misuse also continued to decline.
• Depression and suicide-related indicators returned to approximately pre-pandemic levels after increasing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• More than 83 percent of students said they can turn to a parent or guardian when facing a serious personal problem, and nearly half reported eating dinner with their families every day.

While the report paints an encouraging picture overall, it also identifies areas requiring immediate attention.

Reports of sexual harassment increased substantially since the last pre-pandemic survey. Students reporting unwanted sexual comments in person nearly doubled, while incidents involving unwanted sexual images, identity-based harassment and coercive sexual behavior also increased. Nearly one in five students also reported experiencing cyberbullying during the past year.

The survey further found that more than 43 percent of students now spend five or more hours each day on recreational screen time outside of schoolwork.

"Success doesn't mean our work is finished," Picente said. "This report gives us a roadmap. While we've made tremendous progress reducing substance abuse, today's young people face different challenges than previous generations. We must continue strengthening mental health services, promoting digital wellness, improving school safety and ensuring every child has trusted adults they can turn to."

The report recommends continued investment in mental health services, substance abuse prevention, family engagement, digital wellness education, sexual harassment prevention and youth leadership opportunities.

The Teen Assessment Project is administered through a partnership between the Herkimer-Oneida Counties Comprehensive Planning Program, Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES and the Oneida County Department of Planning. The survey is conducted every four years to help schools, government agencies and community organizations better understand the needs of Oneida County's youth and develop programs that respond to emerging trends.

It is available in its entirety here.