Three major issues are plaguing Idaho's teens.

According to the Idaho Department of Education's 2017 Idaho Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which was released Tuesday, those issues are bullying, substance abuse and suicidal thoughts.

"Those three have always been top issues," said Post Falls School District Superintendent Jerry Keane. "However, they seem to be even more difficult for students to deal with as the world gets more and more complicated. The bullying of young people over social media is definitely a new age problem that is a challenge for parents, law enforcement and schools to eliminate."

Survey data was collected with the cooperation of Idaho school districts and students in grades nine through 12. It was completed by 1,818 students in 53 public high schools last spring.

Some of the findings of concern include:

- One in four Idaho high school students reported they were bullied at school, and 20 percent were electronically bullied.

- The percentage of students who reported they seriously considered attempting suicide in the past 12 months rose to 22 percent, the highest in 10 years.

- 14 percent reported taking prescription drugs without a doctor's prescription.

On the more positive side: 78 percent of students reported that they will probably or definitely complete a post-high school program; 71.5 percent have at least one teacher or adult in the school they can talk to if they have a problem; the percentage of students who have tried smoking has decreased by 20 percent in the last 10 years; and the percentage of students who rode one or more times with someone under the influence of alcohol significantly decreased from 30 percent in 2007 to 16 percent in 2017.

"Most kids have the ability to control items that hurt their body and mind like drinking, fighting, having sex, using tobacco and accepting being hit," said Northwest Expedition Academy Principal Bill Rutherford, who has an extensive background in family, marriage and child therapy. "These have all decreased due to public awareness and education in school. But, things that are being done to kids are increasing such as bullying, and electronic bullying which is creating this sense of helplessness in kids. Most kids are doing the right thing and making good choices but are still being bullied physically and cyberly, which creates a sense of helplessness, sadness, causes students to become less healthy and overweight and have suicide ideation."

Rutherford said he believes the Youth Risk Behavior Survey confirms "that most children make good choices with their social, emotional, physical and psychological health and are making better choices today than 10 years ago." However, he also thinks some kids feel isolated, bullied and traumatized by the actions of a few very aggressive kids who verbally, physically and electronically attack kids who otherwise would be healthy.

Scott Maben, director of communications for Coeur d'Alene School District, said the district has robust programs to address all of these concerns. The suicide prevention program Question, Persuade, Refer — QPR — trains people to make positive differences in the lives of others. It is embedded in the curriculum of seventh- and 10th-graders, and the middle and high schools have multiple QPR-trained staff.

"QPR saves lives by providing these 'first responders' with innovative, practical and proven suicide prevention training, and the knowledge that the signs of crisis are all around us," Maben said. "We also have held training opportunities for parents and community members. We conduct suicide risk-assessment training every other year."

Both school districts have numerous programs in place to address these top issues, with an emphasis on bullying and student resiliency.

Keane said Post Falls hosts guest speakers, including recent presentations on the proper use of social media. Coeur d'Alene has a district-wide Stand Up, Speak Up Committee and a bully-reporting program in all of its schools, as well as the Green Dot program in high schools that employs bystander intervention and reduces power-based personal violence.

As far as encouraging students to go on to higher education, Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene officials say they’re dedicated to providing information to help make good decisions.

"We have a well-developed 'Near Peer' career counseling program that is designed to help students and parents prepare for the future," Keane said.

Maben said Coeur d'Alene's go-on rate of about 62 percent is one of the highest among Idaho school districts.

"Last year we added college and career counselors at Lake City and Coeur d’Alene high schools to specifically assist all students in their journeys to post-graduation opportunities," Maben said. "One of the newer programs to help families navigate this is called Career Cruising, and it starts in middle school."

The survey, which was developed by the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tracks changes in six categories: behaviors, including violence, that contribute to intentional and unintentional injury; tobacco use; alcohol and other drug use; sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases; unhealthy dietary behaviors; and inadequate physical activity.

"The world is changing, for the better," Rutherford said. "Reading this study, our job is to focus as hard on bullying as we have on tobacco, texting while driving and alcohol use. This study shows that schools and parents have the power to overcome this sizable issue — if they work together."

View the full Youth Risk Behavior Survey: www.sde.idaho.gov/student-engagement/school-health/files/youth/2017-Youth-Risk-Behavior-Survey-Results.pdf