Mental health is, ""a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community (Center for Disease Control in Prevention, 2011)."" The number of adolescents with a mental health disorder is on the rise. A recent report showed that roughly 1 in 5 children have a diagnosable mental disorder (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2013). It should be noted though, that just because a mental disorder is diagnosable, does not mean that everyone is getting diagnosed and that their mental health needs are being met. Less than one quarter of the adolescents who need mental health care receive treatment (Knopf, Park, & Mulye 2008). This stems from certain factors like available services, insurance, and social stigmas. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15-to-24-year-olds, and the sixth leading cause of death for 5-to-14-year-olds. (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2008). Additionally, untreated mental health concerns in youth result in poorer outcomes for adults. ""Poor functional outcomes, including unemployment, teenage pregnancy, poor school performance, substance abuse, and violence, are associated with untreated mental disorders in adolescents” (Jones, Cassidy & Heflinger, 2012, 24). Dr. Gerken has been working on this project since 2004 and has found like the Knopf, Park and Mulye article suggested, that the mental health needs of Iowan high school youth are not being met. This study takes a further look into the mental health topic and looks for differences between regular and alternative high school students' mental health needs in an attempt to show where the focus and support needs to be placed in Iowa's high schools.