Friend

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, an important opportunity to shine a light on the “silent pandemic” in our country—the mental health crisis. As a teacher, I know that school staff often are first responders to students’ mental health needs, although most have not been trained to provide such specialized support.

As we close out this awareness month, there are ways for us to continue advocating for mental health resources year-round. Tell your members of Congress to support funding for school-based mental health professionals.

Children and young people were entrenched in this crisis long before COVID-19 hit. The pandemic and the recent shooting tragedies have only exacerbated kids’ pain. One in five adolescents suffers from a mental health condition. Suicide was, and still is, the second-leading cause of death among 10- to 24-year-olds. School staff are stretched thin, and the overflow often falls on the shoulders of those ill-equipped to help no matter their wish to do so. We need more school counselors, social workers, psychologists and nurses to support kids’ well-being, and we need the extensive training required.

That is why President Joe Biden’s fiscal year 2023 budget includes significant funding increases for these priorities. The $1 billion in funding would increase the number of school counselors, social workers and psychologists. President Biden’s budget also proposed a historic increase in funding for community schools, which provide a range of wraparound supports—including mental health services—to students and their families, based on the community’s needs.

We need your help to make sure Congress knows that this funding is desperately needed in the schools and communities where you work. Contact your members of Congress now.

As we’ve unfortunately seen in the past couple of weeks, there is no shortage of trauma for our students. From bullying to dealing with the aftermath of a school shooting such as the tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, school counselors and social workers play an important role in helping students process the world events they see on a constant loop on social media or, unfortunately, events they are directly affected by. We’re watching in real time the importance of mental health professionals in our schools. What would our schools look like if we created, invested in, and maintained mental health infrastructure instead of shipping in mental health professionals and resources when tragedy strikes?

Students aren’t walking test scores. They are whole people with feelings and struggles they can’t leave at the door when they come to class. To ensure they succeed, let’s focus on tending to the whole child. Write to your members of Congress now, and tell them to support this crucial funding.

In unity,
Randi Weingarten
AFT President