Connecticut School Districts Struggle with Limited Mental Health Support as Demand Surges

In Waterbury, Connecticut, lawmakers announced proposed federal legislation aimed at increasing the number of mental health professionals in schools. The current support staff is overwhelmed by the growing demand for mental health services among students.

The Waterbury school district has only one full-time 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. Advocates pointed out that across the state, 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 that this urgent need for mental health support requires immediate action. They called on Congress to pass the proposed legislation and increase funding for schools to hire more mental health professionals. The news conference was scheduled to take place at Westside Middle School in Waterbury, where members of the education community expressed their concerns about the current support staff being overwhelmed by the demand for mental health services.