Graduation rates, mental health, vaping, and underage drinking—these are concerns on every parent’s radar. We all want our kids to be safe, supported, and successful. But how do we know what they’re really facing, and what they need?
The answer is data. And the PNA Survey is how we get it.
What Is the PNA?
The Prevention Needs Assessment (PNA) is a voluntary, anonymous survey given every two years to students in grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 across Wyoming. It asks questions about mental health, substance use, bullying, and the challenges young people are dealing with every day.
The PNA is not a test, and it doesn’t identify individual students. Instead, it gives schools, prevention organizations, and communities a clear picture of what youth in our area are really experiencing—so we can respond with real solutions.
Why Does It Matter?
When a district participates, parents still have the final say about whether their child takes the survey. But when a district opts out entirely, no parent has that choice, and no students are represented.
That means critical voices go unheard, and prevention efforts lose the very data they depend on. In a time when youth mental health is front and center, we can’t afford to skip the steps that help us understand and support our kids.
Here in Fremont County, the PNA survey has helped identify:
- Increases in youth anxiety and depression
- Patterns in vaping, marijuana use, and alcohol use
- Gaps in support systems and protective factors
This information directly informs programs that local families know and value, such as:
- Sources of Strength
- Strengthening Families
- Project Venture
- School-based mental health and substance abuse prevention funding
What’s Standing in the Way?
Some school districts are reluctant to participate in the PNA, and we understand why—staff shortages, testing demands, and full calendars are real challenges.
But the issues measured by the PNA—mental health, substance use, school safety—are not distractions from learning. They are deeply connected to how well students do in school and in life. Missing even one survey cycle makes it harder to track trends, secure funding, and deliver the help our kids may desperately need.
What Can Parents Do?
- Ask your district if they are planning to participate in the 2026 PNA
- Talk to other parents and community members about why this matters
- Let your school board, principal, or superintendent know that you support the PNA and want the opportunity to choose whether your child participates
- 🔍 Visit pnasurvey.org to learn more
Encouraging district participation doesn’t force students to take the survey—it simply gives parents and students the option to be heard.
Every Student Counts
Every student’s voice matters. And every school that participates helps strengthen the countywide picture of what our youth are facing—and what we can do to help.
Let’s make sure Fremont County families and students aren’t left out of the conversation. Support the PNA. Support prevention. Support your kids.
For more info, visit:
👉 FremontCountyPrevention.com
👉 WyWeTalk.org
👉 PNASurvey.org
