Our kids are heading back to school and they are not alright.

Can't read or see images? [View this email in a browser]( [] [ Friends, It is hard to believe that summer is coming to an end and that over the course of the next few weeks, most of America’s youth will head back to school, including my own kids. While we are busy making sure they are equipped with pencils, notebooks, and backpacks, and worrying about their physical health, we should also be working to make sure that young people have the mental health supports and services they need in school to succeed and thrive. I recently wrote an [op-ed]( for the Philadelphia Inquirer about the youth mental health crisis here in New Jersey, and across the country, and why we need to make investing in school-based mental health supports and services a priority. As part of my ongoing work with Mental Health America (MHA), I have been helping to spread the word about their new report, Addressing the Youth Mental Health Crisis: The Urgent Need for More Education, Services, and Supports. The report found that mental health education in schools is only required in a handful of states and that only 14 states are fully using Medicaid to fund mental health services in schools, a practice that increases accessibility and promotes equity. You can read more about the report [here](. Of course, there are states that have successfully implemented school-based mental health policies and some states that have committed to investing in youth mental health services. Last month, I was honored to join Delaware Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long, my husband Patrick, and education and behavioral health leaders from across Delaware, for a roundtable discussion about how funds from the American Rescue Plan can support social emotional learning, multi-tiered systems of support, and increase access to behavioral health services for all students to help implement and ensure equitable education for a stronger and healthier Delaware. You can read more about the roundtable [here](. I also recently had the opportunity to moderate a panel during the MHA’s August Summer Regional Policy Council featuring Dr. Art McCoy, Superintendent Emeritus of Jennings, Missouri School District and Dr. Bernadeia Johnson, Former superintendent of Minneapolis, Minnesota School District. We had a thought-provoking and interesting [discussion]( about why schools are the prime setting for meeting youth mental health needs and preventing crises, and how school districts can ensure they are doing so through equitable means that empower underserved Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian students, staff, and families. Now is the time for all of us to make our voices heard and join in the fight to ensure that young people get access to the mental health support and services they need. If you want to learn more about what you can do, visit my website at [www.amylkennedy.net](, and follow me on social media. ([Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( I hope your summer was filled with opportunities to see family and friends during these challenging times, and that your loved ones are safe and healthy. All the best, Amy www.amylkennedy.net [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [LinkedIn]( [Instagram]( Would you like to change how you receive these emails? Please [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this mailing list]( from this list.]( This email was sent by info@amylkennedy.com to {EMAIL} Not interested? [Unsubscribe]( | [Update profile]( Amy L. Kennedy | PO Box 563, Brigantine NJ 08203