1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

I’m writing from Orefield, PA to demand you act now to reverse the federal decision to cut funding for school-based mental health programs. These cuts eliminate grants that help schools hire and train counselors and social workers—resources that directly support kids facing anxiety, depression, trauma, and violence. These programs were created after Uvalde under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and have already supported over 14,000 mental health professionals nationwide. Now they’re being quietly gutted. The mental health crisis in our schools is real. Nearly 1 in 5 kids has a diagnosed condition. Almost half report stress or anxiety that interferes with learning. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for youth. And yet the Department of Education just notified districts that grants would not be renewed—even though most states still fail to meet the minimum counselor-to-student ratio. This isn’t just dangerous—it’s shameful. These cuts hurt students in rural and under-resourced schools the most. Losing mental health support means more absenteeism, more disruption, more crisis, and greater long-term cost to society. I urge you to: • Publicly oppose these cuts and demand DOE fully restore the grants. • Support legislation expanding school-based mental health programs. • Push for permanent, sustainable funding—not one-time grants or bureaucratic delays. Investing in mental health is school safety. It’s student success. It’s common sense. Do your part and stand up for our kids.