School Mental Health Crisis: Waterbury Lawmakers Call for Federal Legislation to Boost Support Staff

In Waterbury, Connecticut, lawmakers held a news conference to discuss proposed federal legislation that aims to increase the number of mental health professionals in schools. There is growing concern among members of the education community that the current support staff is overwhelmed by the demand for mental health services.

For instance, in the Waterbury school district, there is only one full-time school certified psychologist for every 2,672 students. In Connecticut as a whole, there is one certified school counselor for every 333 students from pre-K to 12th grade. This issue has been highlighted across the state, where there is only one full-time certified psychologist for every 494 students and one certified social worker for every 384 students.

Lawmakers like Reps. Rosa DeLauro and Jahana Hayes argued for the urgent need for the proposed legislation at Westside Middle School in Waterbury. The news conference was scheduled to take place at this location to raise awareness about the issue and advocate for change.