It’s 10:30 and the third period bell rings; math isn’t the only thing on students’ minds. Underneath the loud movements of students shuffling into class there’s a student sitting in the corner trying to shake the tears out of her eyes. The school psychiatrist that she used to talk to during lunch time no longer comes to schools in her district. This is the new reality kids across Connecticut face everyday, leaving them feeling alone and with nowhere to turn.
Nearly 1 in 5 students in the state of Connecticut utilize public school mental health services. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 funded over $71 million to the state of Connecticut, towards mental health services. ARPA funding will run out by the end of 2026 and with nothing on the horizon from the federal government, school districts and schools are left panicking.
ARPA funding allowed for schools to give students access to resources like visiting school psychiatrists, before and after school programs, as well as fully staffed counseling centers. When these pandemic-era funds were exhausted nothing was there to fill its space leaving students scared and alone. As a result over 100,000 students will lose access to school-based mental health services due to cuts in funding.
ARPA funding is not the only reason schools are scrambling to find support. This past year, the current federal government cut nearly $10 million worth of funding that would have gone to mental health and substance abuse resources in the state of Connecticut. The Connecticut Community Non-profit Alliance said “the mental health funding cuts could be catastrophic for thousands of people who rely on services.” Governor Ned Lamont commented that cuts in funding in mental health services,“creates unnecessary anxiety and jeopardizes care for some of our most vulnerable residents, especially those seeking help.”
Lawmakers have made efforts to improve the situation. House Bill SB19, suggests putting in more funding from the state to offset cuts made by the federal government in mental health based services in schools, more specifically rural areas of the state. It is a promising start to ensuring that all students have access to mental health services while in school, and I urge our state legislature to vote on pushing it through. If we allow the cuts in federal funding for mental health programs to go through without supplementing at the state level, it will negatively impact students’ health and well being.
It is urgent that legislators from both parties consider the importance of funding mental health services for students and the lasting impact that it can have on these kids. From the shoreline to the northern border, access to mental health services should be a guaranteed right for every child across the state. A clear mind is a basic necessity for students to be able to thrive in school. Mental health impacts students ability to learn, engagement, and even drop out rates. If the state of Connecticut wants to see their students thrive in the classroom it begins with support within its own walls.
Ava Brandstatter is a sophomore at Sacred Heart University majoring in Health Science.