Democrats advance mental health funding in public schools
“The National Education Association strongly believes that mental health services are a necessity in school buildings to meet the needs of all students.”
You will see in state and federal levels of legislation that teachers’ unions and other government entities and special interest groups are all working to increase the level of funding and support for mental health services in government schools. The goal is for the government schools to take care of every need your child could possibly have, circumventing the parents and nuclear family. This is to advance the CDC’s Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model.
We are seeing a youth mental health crisis on a global scale like never before. The increase in funding and access to these services in government schools has not helped the crisis, it has exacerbated it all the while, we are seeing student academic success plummet.
We know that expanding upon mental health care in government schools is a top priority for ALL states in 2024. California is leading the path with Washington and New York in hot pursuit.
Washington democrats have prefiled a bill for 2024 to increase funding to provide for more “support staff” funding to address the mental health crisis…created, in part, by the “pandemic”. You know what they say: “never let a crisis go to waste.” The bill would provide funding for a number of “professional” positions, primarily: social workers, mental/behavioral health specialists, even library technicians (see our previous post about “media literacy”)
What does a “school-based health center” look like? Click the image below to watch a commercial from a Colorado school, be sure to read Erin’s commentary in her tweet. In Colorado, 12 year olds are able to make their own mental and health care decisions. Many states have similar laws (CA, WA, NY, and more!) One of the things we notice consistently is that these SBHCs are focused on the most vulnerable and those willing to rely on the government for help: low income, bilingual/immigrants.
In Washington state, taxpayers in 2022 funded 17.52% of SBHCs but in 2023 that had more than doubled to 50%, with the proposed legislation of HB 1960 to increase that taxpayer funding even more.
For services provided prior to July 1, 2022, SBHS was funded with 56.2% federal funds, 26.28% school district (local matching funds), and 17.52% state funds.
For services provided July 1, 2022-May 10, 2023, SBHS was funded with 56.2% federal funds and 43.8% state funds.
For services provided on or after May 11, 2023, SBHS is funded with 50% federal funds and 50% state funds.
The SBHC models allow public schools to bill Medicaid for services to students.
“School counselors are one of the biggest billing forces in the state. It should be bringing in quite a bit of money. It could be used to lower the caseloads on all levels — social workers, psychologists, school counselors.” Loretta Whitson, executive director of the California Association of School Counselors
Concerned citizens cannot rely on Republicans to save our children from this socialist agenda, where schools replace parents and fulfill every need a child may have. In Missouri, HB 447, pushing the CDC’s WSCC agenda into government schools recently passed with all but one Republican voting to pass the bill. This is a common theme across the country.
Parents sending their children to public schools in states like CA, WA and NY where legislation has been passed to allow children access to life-altering services, like so-called “gender affirming care”, should be very concerned about these centers. You can read more about how this “classroom to operating room pipeline” here: WA will hide children; they'll use schools to do it - Conservative Ladies of Washington
Here’s a detailed look at SBHCs in Washington: School Based Health Centers grow while academic performance drops - Conservative Ladies of Washington
Learn about what California has done with mental health funding in schools this year: California looks to the health system to sustain mental health funds in schools | EdSource
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