Students push for additional mental health resources in Springfield schools

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Springfield students resume their call for more mental health resources in schools as they gathered outside city hall on Thursday afternoon.

Students at Thursday’s event said the Springfield Public School district isn’t doing enough to fund mental health resources in their schools and are now asking for access to the last two years’ budgets.

“Mental health care is a need, not a want,” said Liv Stak. “We are not being given what we need.”

Dozens of Springfield students taking to the steps of city hall to express their frustration with what they call a mental health crisis among teenagers.

Students we spoke with, including Naomi Edwards, said the Springfield Public School district is in dire need of more mental health resources and last month asked the school committee for an additional $4 million towards these resources.

“I see a lack of trained officials, a lack of adjustment counselors and overall, a lack of accessible resources,” said Edwards.

While the school committee did not amend their budget, they did approve $30 million for mental health purposes for this upcoming school year, which is the highest amount of funding the district has set aside for mental health, according to Patrick Roach is the Chief Financial and Operations officer.

Springfield superintendent Daniel Warwick told us in a statement:

“The interest of mental wellness expressed by this group is shared by the district and we will continue to support principals as they fund programs and initiatives best suited for their buildings.”

But Springfield students want to know more about where the money is being spent. They have submitted a public records request for each high school’s budget for the last two years. High school student Cenaya Sylvia told us what she hopes to learn.

“We’re just wanting to see exactly what the principals say they’re doing with this money,” said Sylvia. “I want to see where the wellness centers that we supposedly have are. I want to see how they’re paying the adjustment councilors they say we have. I just want to see where all this money is going.”

According to a survey of 250 students conducted by the Pioneer Valley Project, 1 in 5 students reported having suicidal thoughts.

About half of teens in the district deal with anxiety and depression.

Sylvia said it’s that type of data that keeps the group motivated.

“We will keep fighting to end this crisis, and we will not be silenced,” said Sylvia.

Superintendent Warwick also said the district is complying with the public records request and will respond to it.

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