Page 3 - Dec2017 BPS

Student leaders lobby state lawmakers on mental health
Dr. Desmond K. Blackburn
Brevard Public Schools superintendent
I’ve been mee ng with some special people over the past year and a half: student-government presidents and vice presidents from Brevard’s 16 high schools.
They educate me every me we meet, adding perspec ves on issues that only young people on our campuses can provide. Now, they are taking on a much more ambi ous e ort to appeal to adult leaders and provide crucial help to their fellow students.
The 16 student leaders plan to ask the Legislature to spend $100 million per year to provide professional mental-health services on public-school campuses across Florida. It’s
a big, ambi ous idea – but not unrealis c for a state this size. These students say their top concern is the social and emo onal health
of their peers. They are alarmed by a recent rise in teen suicide.
A er talking with their peers and mee ng to share ideas, the student- government leaders presented their legisla ve “ask” to the
school board in
Viera on Dec. 12.
Their goal at that
mee ng: persuade
the board to add the mental-health request to its o cial 2018 legisla ve agenda. That’s the board-approved list of bills and policy posi ons that BPS plans to lobby for in the capitol.
The board, which sounded very suppor ve, will decide before the legisla ve session begins in January.
A er that, the student-government leaders will accompany BPS board members and me to the capitol for a day of advocacy in early February.
BPS will drive them to Tallahassee early in the morning – really, really early -- in order to get there about 9 a.m. They will present their idea to representa ves and senators from Brevard and elsewhere. Lawmakers are sure to ask tough ques on about the costs, bene ts and legali es of their recommenda on, as they do with everyone.
Our students calculated it would cost about $62 million across 67 coun es to have one mental-health professional split me among 2-3 high schools. Because they also see students in need of help at middle and elementary schools, they increased their “ask” to $100 million to extend help to more kids.
At the board mee ng, they cited data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that show one in ve children experience a mental health disorder of some kind during their years in school. Problems can include depression, anxiety, substance abuse or the emo onal impacts from bullying.
In the juvenile jus ce system, 50-75 percent of youth su er from at least one mental health condi on, according to federal data cited by the students.
But many students don’t
get the help they need because of the scarcity of a ordable and accessible mental- health services
at schools,
our student- government presidents and vice presidents said.
They may have
an ally in the Senate, where one member has been
dra ing bipar san legisla on that would fund mental health programs at schools across the state.
I can’t wait to see the reac ons by state lawmakers when some of the “best and brightest” from Brevard visit their o ces and make the case for change in their hometowns. As part of the educa onal trip, we will visit the House
or Senate oor to watch the more colorful part of the legisla ve process. We may even give them a tour of Florida State University while we’re there in Tallahassee – or, even be er, show them my alma mater in Gainesville on the drive back.
“I don’t see students there, I see community leadership,” School Board Chairman John Craig said a er their Dec. 12 presenta on. He predicted our young people will “shake some trees up there.”
WE INVEST IN YOU SO YOU CAN INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE
Learn more at
gcu.edu/bpsnews
For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program and other important information, please visit our website at gcu.edu/disclosures. Please note, not all GCU programs are available in all states and in all learning modalities. Program availability is contingent on student enrollment. Grand Canyon University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (800-621-7440; h p://hlcommission.org/) Important policy information is available in the University Policy Handbook at h ps://www.gcu.edu/academics/academic-policies.php GCU, while reserving its lawful rights in light of its Christian mission, is commi ed to maintaining an academic environment that is free from unlawful discrimination. Further detail on GCU’s Non-Discrimination policies can be found at gcu.edu/titleIX ©2017 Grand Canyon University 17COEE0185
3