Rep. Rosa DeLauro, advocates sound alarm on growing youth mental health crisis
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-3rd District) and local leaders gathered in New Haven on Friday to discuss the mental health crisis among youth.
This comes as studies have shown a spike in suicide rates among young children.
Mental health advocates addressed the need for mental health professionals in the classroom.
DeLauro: Mental health funding cuts will hurt Connecticut students.
“We need to look at the whole child and really think about what wrap-around services and what support can we put in place for children and families so that we never get to that crisis point,” Leslie Blatteau, the president of the New Haven Federation of Teachers, said. “We are all committed in the city of New Haven and the state of Connecticut to making sure our students are more than okay to make sure our students can come to school every day, feel safe, feel seen and feel supported.”
Congresswoman DeLauro pushed forward grant programs to make changes in the school.
“What the bill would do is assist in hiring school-based mental health providers, help recruit mental health-based providers, supplement other investments in school-based mental health services, such as dollars from the bipartisan Safer Communities Act,” DeLauro said.
However, funding has become a challenge after $1 billion of funds that supported mental health services for children was cut by the Trump Administration.
Those services were through the School-Based Mental Health Service Grants Program and the School-Based Mental Health Services Professional Demonstration Grant Program.
DeLauro expressed concerns for the Department of Education’s new application for the grants, but she continues to advocate for those who need help.
“We need to expand these kinds of services instead of looking as how we pull back funding,” she said.
News 8 reached out to the White House for a response on youth mental health funding.
If someone you know is struggling with their mental health, you can call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
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