2026 Candidate Questionnaire:
Student Mental Health in Schools

This resource was created by volunteer school social workers advocating for student mental health in Utah.

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The Utah School Social Work Association invited all candidates with current filings for offices on the ballot to respond to a brief questionnaire about student mental health and school-based supports.

Our goal is to help school social workers and the broader community better understand candidates’ perspectives on issues affecting student well-being and access to mental health supports in schools.

Responses are published as submitted by candidates. Participation was voluntary.

USSWA does not endorse candidates.

Question 1: Student Mental Health Needs
Schools across Utah are seeing increasing mental health needs among students.

From your perspective, what role should schools play in supporting student mental health, and what types of supports do you believe are most important?

Question 2: School-Based Mental Health Professionals
School-based mental health professionals play a role in supporting students’ well-being, safety, and ability to learn.

What do you see as the appropriate role of these professionals within schools?

Question 3: Access to Supports for Students and Families
Many students and families face barriers to accessing mental health services, including cost, provider shortages, and long wait times.

What approaches do you believe could help improve access to mental health support for young people and families in Utah?

Question 4: Prevention and Early Intervention
Early intervention and prevention efforts in schools can help address concerns before they become crises.

What strategies or policies do you believe are most effective in helping schools identify and support students who may be struggling?

Question 5: Collaboration Between Schools and Communities
Supporting student mental health often requires collaboration between schools, families, and community providers.

What role do you believe state and local policy should play in strengthening these partnerships?

Question 6:

Is there anything else you would like school social workers and educators to understand about your perspective on student mental health or supporting students in schools?

Federal Candidates

Riley Owen (R) Question 1: Schools, particularly Title I schools serving students with higher economic needs, play a critical role in supporting student mental health precisely because they are often the most consistent and accessible institution in a child's life. When families and communities lack the resources to access quality mental health services on their own, schools must step in to fill that gap. A student's ability to focus and succeed academically is deeply contingent on having their basic needs met, including their emotional and psychological well-being. Mental health challenges, left unaddressed, can significantly disrupt a student's ability to learn and thrive. When schools have the resources to do so, they should provide a foundational level of mental health support, including on-site counseling and mental health professionals, universal screening and early identification of students who may be struggling, crisis intervention and safety planning, and trauma-informed practices embedded across the school culture, not just within individual services, but in how all staff interact with students. This reflects a whole-child approach, recognizing that academics cannot be separated from a student's social, emotional, and basic needs. For students in under-resourced communities, the school may be the only place where these needs can realistically be identified and addressed. Question 2: School-based mental health professionals serve a vital function as the first line of support for students who may be struggling. Their primary role should center on early identification and universal screening, helping ensure that no student falls through the cracks before their needs escalate into a crisis. Beyond identification, these professionals are best positioned to provide skill-based interventions rather than deep clinical work. This means teaching students the emotional and practical tools they need to navigate life's challenges, including emotional regulation, coping strategies, problem-solving, and social skills. The goal is not necessarily to address root trauma or underlying clinical issues, but to build a student's capacity to manage the stressors in their life that they cannot control, so they can refocus on learning even when things outside of school are difficult. At this point in time, public education is not yet structured or resourced to provide more specialized clinical therapy targeting root causes or complex trauma. Until that infrastructure exists, school-based professionals should play a connector role, bridging students and families to community-based clinical providers when deeper intervention is needed, and maintaining communication with those providers to support continuity of care. As schools grow in capacity and resources, this role can and should evolve. But for now, skill development, early identification, and community connection represent the most realistic and impactful contributions school-based mental health professionals can make. Question 3: One of the most impactful approaches to improving access to mental health services for young people in Utah is investing in school-based mental health support as a foundational component of public education. Schools are the most consistently accessible institution for families across varying economic circumstances, and embedding mental health services within them has the potential to make those services low cost or entirely free for families who otherwise could not afford them. However, expanding school-based services is only possible if Utah addresses its mental health provider shortage. This requires making careers in school-based mental health genuinely attractive and sustainable. Utah could consider implementing loan forgiveness programs for school-based mental health professionals, similar to what is already done for teachers, as a way to incentivize people to enter and stay in the field. Equally important is ensuring these professionals are offered competitive salaries and strong benefits packages that reflect the value and complexity of the work they do. Question 4: Utah has already taken meaningful steps in the right direction by requiring schools to implement early intervention and prevention measures, and these efforts should not only continue but be strengthened. Current state requirements include the use of an early warning system to identify students who may be struggling, the development and implementation of bullying prevention policies, suicide prevention policies, and the implementation of a Tier 1 Social Emotional Learning curriculum for all students. These are exactly the kinds of systemic, proactive strategies that can catch students before their struggles escalate into crises. Universal SEL curriculum ensures that all students, regardless of whether they have been identified as at-risk, are building the foundational emotional and social skills they need to navigate challenges. Early warning systems create a consistent, data-informed process for identifying students who may need additional support before things reach a breaking point. However, requiring these measures without adequately funding them sets schools up to fail. Policies and plans are only as effective as the resources available to execute them. Utah must pair its mandates with meaningful funding to ensure schools have the staff, training, and infrastructure necessary to implement these programs with fidelity and consistency. Question 5: State and local policy has an important role to play in formalizing and strengthening the collaboration between schools, families, and community mental health providers. Rather than leaving these partnerships to chance or individual initiative, policy should require schools to actively develop and maintain structured collaborative processes with local providers. This could include requiring schools to establish formal agreements with community mental health providers, as well as designating staff responsible for managing and maintaining those partnerships. The goal is to create clear, consistent pathways for bridging students and families to outside services and for ensuring that community providers and school-based professionals are communicating and coordinating effectively around shared students. Equally important is policy that targets the strength and capacity of community providers themselves. More robust community mental health infrastructure means more options for schools to partner with and more accessible services for families to be connected to. This means investing in the community mental health workforce through funding, workforce development initiatives, and incentives to attract and retain quality providers in underserved areas of Utah. Ultimately, policy should be designed to create a seamless continuum of care between schools and their communities, so that no student falls through the gap between what a school can provide and what a community provider can offer. Question 6: Taking care of our students is a top priority of mine. I am deeply grateful for the challenging, and often thankless work carried out by USSWA and its members. I think it is important for school social workers and educators to understand that what we are describing is not an abstract ideal, this is the reality of where we are right now, particularly in Title I schools. The role of a school and its staff has fundamentally transformed, and that transformation reflects profound shifts that have taken place across our society. The aftermath of the pandemic, ongoing economic instability, the complexities of immigration, and the pervasive impact of technology on young people's mental health and development have all converged in ways that have dramatically increased the needs students bring through the school doors every day. Two major policies of mine are requiring age verification on social media at 16+ and removing phones from K-12 schools. Students and their families are navigating enormous stressors, and those stressors do not stay outside when the school day begins. In order to provide education successfully, schools must now support various dimensions of a student's well-being beyond academics. That is not a departure from the mission of public education; it is what fulfilling that mission now requires. The work that school social workers and educators do in this space is not peripheral. It is critical, it is complex, and it is deeply impactful. The students who are most in need are often the ones who have the fewest other places to turn, and the professionals showing up for them every day in schools are making a difference that extends far beyond the classroom. Thank you. Much of what I have discussed are approaches that the state government can take. As a candidate for Congress, I'd be directly impacting federal legislation. If there are ideas you have regarding the federal government's engagement in your work, I would be grateful to hear them. Find us on instagram @utahriley or reach out at info@utahriley.com!

Jesse West (L) Question 1: I believe that schools should have an active role with counselors and other trained staff to help address student mental health. Question 2: School-based mental health professionals should have an active role. Counselors should have a confidential relationship and retain their duty to report. While having designated counselors is ideal, I would also support training teachers to recognize and address mental health issues as well. Question 3: For me it comes down to reallocation of resources. We are spending money as a nation on frivolous, unnecessary, and even sometimes nefarious costs, rather than focusing on our future - children. Question 4: Meeting a child's basic needs comes first. Teachers and school administrators interact with children every day. They have a unique opportunity to identify when a child's behavior changes; if they are hungry, have not practiced hygiene, have not slept, or have other basic needs unmet. It is important for teachers to have the training to communicate with children and connect them with community resources to support them. Empowering schools and their staff to know how to identify and address issues before they become worse is an important role of schools. Question 5: I believe that the state should stay out of the way, allowing communities to take responsibility for children and to pool resources locally within formal organizations and informal efforts to meet children's needs. I would support local government taking a more active role in this process. Question 6: As a Libertarian, I believe it is important to get the government out of the way of the community. My preference is that resources stay within communities to address specific needs, rather then sending it off in taxes to the federal and state government, to send it back with strings attached. Often times, the structure, slowness, and rigid nature of national and state government hinders efforts of local communities. Further, it creates a bystander affect among teachers and staff that prevent them from taking action because - that's the government's job. Federal and state resources usually come with strings attached that dictate how schools use their funds rather than meeting unique community needs. My own mother is a teacher and I always admired her ability to help students in more ways than simple teaching the curriculum - she was empowered to help students directly. Teachers, counselors, and anyone working in the school have the opportunity to impact children in significant ways. Ensuring they are properly vetted and trained is essential to the safety and well being of students. Ultimately, I believe that addressing larger societal issues will ease the stress of students as well. Students feel the effects of strained resources, conflict, and oppression in our society. Children should not have to worry about their classmates being detained by federal agencies or feel obligated to work significant hours to help pay for family necessities. However, given we may not be able to solve these issues right away, children should have the resources to speak to a trusted adult about what is happening in their lives and receive guidance on managing their mental health. Finally, I am pragmatic as well in that I would much rather send resources to school, even begrudgingly through the federal government, than to hand it out in corporate subsidies, send it to foreign nations, and to spend it on war.

Michael Farrell (D) Question 1: Schools are not just places of academic learning, they are where young people spend most of their waking hours, and they must be equipped to support the whole child. I believe schools should serve as a frontline resource for student mental health, providing universal, proactive, and stigma-free access to support. The most important investments are in staffing, school social workers, counselors, and psychologists who can build relationships with students before a crisis emerges. Mental health should be treated as inseparable from education; a child who is struggling emotionally cannot learn effectively. Just as I support Medicare for All to guarantee universal healthcare for every American, I believe every student deserves guaranteed access to mental health support regardless of their zip code or family income. Question 2: School social workers and mental health professionals are essential, not optional. They serve as the connective tissue between students, families, schools, and community resources. Their role should be expansive: early identification of struggling students, direct intervention and counseling, coordination with outside providers, crisis response, and advocacy for students' needs within the school system. I strongly support federal investment in expanding the mental health workforce in schools and reducing caseloads so these professionals can do their jobs effectively. The VA model of expanding mental health services is instructive, we know what works, we simply need the political will to fund it. Question 3: The same barriers that prevent families from accessing physical healthcare, cost, provider shortages, and wait times, plague mental health care. My support for Medicare for All would directly address this: under a universal single-payer system, mental health services would be covered comprehensively with no deductibles or copays, eliminating financial barriers for Utah families. In the near term, I support significantly increasing federal funding for school-based mental health services, expanding the mental health workforce pipeline through loan forgiveness and training programs, and investing in telehealth infrastructure to reach students in rural Utah where providers are scarce. Universal child care and support for working families also reduces the economic stress that often underlies family mental health crises. Question 4: Early intervention requires both resources and systems. Schools need adequate staffing ratios, current national averages are far too high to allow meaningful relationships between professionals and students. Universal screening programs, when implemented thoughtfully and with family engagement, can help identify students before they reach crisis. I also believe that addressing the root causes of student distress, housing instability, food insecurity, poverty, and family economic stress, is itself a prevention strategy. My platform's commitments to raising the minimum wage, universal child care, and affordable housing are directly connected to student wellbeing. Children cannot thrive in school when their families are under severe economic strain. Question 5: State and local policy should actively incentivize and fund these partnerships rather than leaving schools to navigate them alone. At the federal level, I support robust funding through vehicles like IDEA, Title IV, and Medicaid school-based services to ensure every school district has the resources to build genuine community partnerships. Wraparound service models, where schools serve as hubs connecting students to housing, healthcare, food, and mental health resources, should be a federal priority. I would advocate for legislation that makes it easier for school districts to partner with community mental health centers and that removes administrative barriers to Medicaid billing in school settings. Policy should make collaboration easier, not harder. Question 6: I want school social workers to know that I see you, and I understand that you are often asked to do the impossible with too few resources, too little time, and too many kids who need help. The mental health crisis among young people in America is real and it is urgent. I believe that investing in school-based mental health is not a luxury, it is a core function of a just society that values its children. I am committed to fighting for the resources and policy changes that would allow you to do your jobs the way you know they should be done. My campaign is built on the belief that we can have nice things, that a country as wealthy as ours can choose to fully fund the supports that children and families need. I would be honored to have your support in this race, and I promise that your voices will always have a seat at my table.

Ben McAdams (D) Question 1: Schools, educators, and other school-based professionals are on the front lines when it comes to the well-being of our kids, and I believe they must play a central, proactive role in supporting student mental health — not as a secondary concern, but as a core part of what it means to educate a child. A student who is struggling emotionally or mentally simply cannot learn effectively, and no academic intervention will fully succeed if we ignore what's happening in a child's inner life. I've seen firsthand — as a father of four and as a public servant — that the needs of young people are growing more complex. Data from the Utah School Social Workers Association confirms what teachers and parents across Utah already know: students are presenting with increasing mental health needs, and schools are often the first and sometimes only place where those needs are identified. I believe schools should provide a safe, supportive environment that includes universal prevention programming, access to trained mental health professionals, and clear pathways to connect students and families with additional community-based care when needed. In Congress, I was proud to pass legislation aimed at reducing the prevalence of suicide and increasing the availability of mental health services — because this isn't abstract policy to me, it's about real kids in real communities across Utah. Question 2: School-based mental health professionals — including school social workers, counselors, and psychologists — are absolutely essential. They are not a luxury or an add-on; they are a critical part of a functioning school community. These professionals serve multiple roles: they identify students who are struggling before a situation reaches a crisis point, they provide direct support and intervention, they connect families to outside resources, and they help create a school culture where mental health is taken seriously and stigma is reduced. In many cases, a school social worker is the only mental health professional a student or family will ever interact with, particularly in rural Utah where provider shortages are significant. I believe state and federal policy should adequately fund and staff these positions so that caseloads are manageable and professionals can actually do their jobs well. A school social worker stretched across five schools cannot provide the kind of consistent, relationship-based support that makes a real difference in a child's life. We should be setting and working toward evidence-based staffing ratios, and we should be treating school-based mental health professionals as the skilled, credentialed experts they are. Question 3: Access is one of the most significant barriers we face, and it's a problem I care deeply about. Cost, provider shortages, and long wait times are real obstacles — and they fall hardest on the families who are already struggling the most. A few approaches I believe are most promising: Telehealth expansion. During the COVID-19 response, I supported funding to boost telehealth access, and I saw how dramatically it expanded reach — especially in rural and underserved communities. Telehealth for mental health services can help bridge the gap when there simply aren't enough in-person providers, and we should make those expanded access policies permanent. School-based services as a point of access. Rather than asking families to navigate a fragmented system on their own, schools can serve as a trusted hub — a place where students are already present and where trained professionals can provide services directly or facilitate warm handoffs to community providers. Reducing barriers means meeting kids where they are. Addressing cost and insurance. I've worked on legislation to protect health care coverage, especially for pre-existing conditions, and to lower out-of-pocket costs. Mental health parity — ensuring that mental health services are covered at the same level as physical health services — must be enforced meaningfully, and insurance plans must adequately include mental health professionals across a variety of settings. Investing in the workforce pipeline. We cannot solve an access problem without enough trained providers. That means supporting training programs, loan forgiveness for mental health professionals who serve in high-need areas, and creating incentives for providers to work in schools and underserved communities across Utah. Question 4: Prevention and early intervention are far more cost-effective and human-centered than waiting for a crisis to occur. I strongly believe in getting ahead of problems rather than simply responding to them in a crisis. Effective strategies include: Universal screening. Schools should have consistent, evidence-based tools for identifying students who may be struggling emotionally or behaviorally, before those struggles escalate. This doesn't mean labeling kids; it means making sure no child falls through the cracks unnoticed. Social-emotional learning (SEL). Building emotional literacy, resilience, and healthy coping skills into the everyday school experience, not just crisis response, creates a stronger foundation for all students. These skills serve kids throughout their lives. Trauma-informed practices. Many students come to school carrying the weight of adverse childhood experiences. A trauma-informed school doesn't punish students for behavior that stems from trauma — it responds with understanding and support while maintaining safety and structure. In Congress, I worked on bipartisan legislation to reduce suicide rates, expand mental health services, and support mental health professionals — because prevention isn't just good policy, it saves lives. Question 5: Supporting student mental health is not something schools can or should do alone. It requires real, sustained collaboration between schools, families, community organizations, health care providers, and government agencies. State and local policy has a critical role to play in making those partnerships functional and durable — not just aspirational. Throughout my time in public service, I've consistently worked across the aisle to build coalitions and bring different stakeholders to the table. The same principle applies here. State policy should create formal structures for school-community collaboration, including shared data systems where appropriate, coordinated care agreements, and community school models that co-locate services where students already are. Local policy matters too. County and city governments, community health centers, and nonprofits all have a role, and state policy should facilitate — not impede — those connections. Funding streams should be aligned so schools and community providers aren't competing for the same limited dollars, but rather working in a coordinated system. I also believe strongly in locally led solutions. Utah communities know their own needs best, and state policy should set a framework of accountability and support while giving local leaders the flexibility to build partnerships that fit their specific context. Question 6: Yes. I want school social workers and educators to know that I see you, and I respect the extraordinary work you do every day under difficult circumstances. My approach to public service has always been grounded in listening to the people closest to the challenges. You are on the ground. You know what students need. You know what's working and what isn't. Any policy conversation about student mental health that doesn't center your expertise and experience is going to miss the mark. I also want to be honest: the challenges are real and they are growing. The pandemic accelerated mental health struggles among young people, and the systems we have in place were not built to meet this level of need. That's not a criticism — it's a call to act with urgency and with the same bipartisan spirit that has guided my work throughout my career. My commitment is to Utah's hard-working families and that absolutely includes the young people in our schools and the dedicated professionals who serve them. I'll continue to advocate for the resources, policies, and investments that give every Utah student a real opportunity for a healthy, successful future.

Nate Blouin (D) Question 1: Schools play a critical role in supporting student mental health, not just academics. I believe schools should provide proactive, comprehensive mental health support, including access to trained counselors, social workers, and psychologists. Schools should be supported in their programs that teach emotional literacy and stress management. Prioritizing prevention and early intervention ensures students can thrive both in and out of the classroom. School-based mental health professionals play a role in supporting students’ well-being, safety, and ability to learn. Question 2: School-based mental health professionals are essential to creating safe, supportive learning environments. They should be fully integrated into schools, with manageable caseloads and competitive salaries. These professionals need the resources to provide direct counseling, coordinate with families, support teachers, and connect students to community mental health services when necessary. We need to protect them from burnout and investing in them for the long-term. Question 3: To overcome barriers like cost, provider shortages, and long wait times, Utah should expand funding for school-based mental health services and community clinics, increase incentives for mental health professionals to work in underserved areas, and support telehealth services. Public school funding is consistently cut by the Utah legislature - we can’t put public school funding at the center of partisan crossfires. We should focus on taxing the millionaires and billionaires, not punishing kids and teachers. Question 4: Effective strategies include universal screenings, social-emotional learning programs, peer support networks, and trauma-informed care. Schools should identify early signs of distress and provide targeted interventions, while also promoting a culture where seeking help is normalized and stigma is reduced. Question 5: State and local policy should strengthen these partnerships by fully funding school mental health programs, supporting public sector unions, and treating educators and mental health staff as partners in policy development. Policies should encourage coordination between schools, families, and community providers, ensuring students have consistent, high-quality support across systems. I am excited to listen to teachers, union reps, mental health professionals, and students themselves when I get to Congress to craft meaningful policy for Utahns. Question 6: While there are other strong candidates in the race, I am the only progressive candidate positioned to win the UT-01 primary—a district that is +24 and even bluer than Massachusetts. I’m excited about the opportunity for continual collaboration with educators, school social workers, and families to ensure that federal policy supports schools in meeting students’ mental health needs. If elected, I will work to secure the resources, staffing, and funding Utah students and schools need, and I will listen closely to those on the front lines to craft meaningful policy that strengthens schools as safe, supportive spaces for every child.

Peter Crosby (D) Question 1: Ideally students would have access to appropriate and sufficient mental health resources outside of school, like those provided by a single payer system available in other developed nations. Until that happens, funding to provide access to trained nurses and counselors for students in need would help bridge the gap between resources available outside of the school, and the mental health challenges facing our children. Additionally, research suggests effective skill development in resiliency and the creation of community can help mitigate mental health challenges, and provide additional support infrastructure for those who are struggling, helping to provide additional time and opportunities to identify those most at risk of self-harm. Utah, which has one of the highest teen suicide rates in the nation, needs additional resources to address an ongoing teen mental health crisis. Question 2: I believe school-based mental health professionals should provide skill development, assist in community building, act as an informed professional able to identify at-risk children, and act as a first line of support for children and youth in need of additional support. Parents should be kept informed of any conversations these professionals have with their respective children, unless those conversations warrant mandatory reporting based on concerns of abuse, assault, and other required circumstances. Question 3: A single payer system that focuses on access to whole health solutions is the best option to improve access to mental health support for young people and families. In the interim, access to Utah's existing Medicaid program, which provides some funding for mental health services, should be fully funded to expand access to those in need. Question 4: This is candidly not an area where I have expertise. I would be open to support evidence-based interventions designed to improve student health and well-being, including early identification policies. Question 5: I believe the most effective solutions are those that draw expertise from a wide range of informed individuals, and those often require resource sharing to be the most effective. Local control is preferable, unless there is evidence that existing policies are ineffective. The state government has an obligation to children in every district, and should help provide sufficient resources to build and maintain evidence-based policies and interventions. There should be two-way accountability (up and down) between state and local entities, with the priority placed on student welfare. In practical terms, there should be coordinating bodies or agencies, there should be regular measurement of outcomes that are clearly student-health focused, there needs to be parental inclusion whether in an advisory or decision making capacity, and there needs to be student involvement in a formal advisory capacity. Question 6: I have three teenaged daughters, all in high school or middle school. These are not easy years, for anyone. Ideally every child will have a robust support network available outside of school, so they can focus on learning and socializing while they are there, but that is an ideal out of the reach of many. School social workers and teachers are expected to step into those gaps, often with few resources and unrealistic expectations. Your work is invaluable, and very much appreciated. Part of the reason I chose to teach at the university level is because I was not sure I wanted to juggle all of the additional stresses and responsibilities laid on our preK-12 educators and staff. Thank you for stepping into these spaces and being there for those who need you.

Colton Hatch (R) Question 1: During my time in school there were deaths of students and parents that occurred over the years from various tragedies. I remember distinctly the value that crisis counseling provided. Many families do not have the time/funds/inclination to get children the help they need. Having those resources in the school themselves has a such a dramatic ability to stabilize a community and help people cope that is difficult to overstate. Question 2: I see two primary approaches. First is reactive. Like crisis counseling where there are clear trigger events and a process to follow. Secondarily I think there is a proactive approach that also has value. Being able to identify depression, conflicts, and struggles of children in the early stages can do a lot to resolve problems before they escalate. Question 3: One improvement I have seen is companies covering a certain amount of visits per incident. However that is usually limited to an in house provider, and much of the allotted time is just the service provider getting caught up on the background and building a profile. Not actually helping the individual until later on. One worthwhile approach is opening up the pool of providers, and getting more children's specialists in that pool. Additionally I think there is a large variety in types and approaches from providers. Where some segments are more focused on creating recurring customers, rather than helping people overcome their issue. Too many providers are competent at identifying disorders, but ill equipped to identify what order looks like that they should be guiding the client towards. A general cultural shift towards creating functional citizens would do most the heavy lifting for creating more support for funding and allow perceptions of skeptic's to change Question 4: As obviously important the counselor themselves is, they can't be everywhere. The teacher is the first line for identifying issues. Not that anyone wants to add burdens to them, but trainings so they feel able to identify red flags in behaviors to escalate to the social workers is probably the most important factor in catching issues early. In direct support of this is the idea that the baseline of a class has to have a certain level of calm and function in order to identify outliers and behavioral shifts. Teachers should not be subjected to having to manage such a degree of chaos where just getting through the day is the most they are capable of. This is where the social work would be prior. Students often have been pre identified as they get older and extra resources applied to create that order. Working together to create an environment conducive to learning is paramount. Teachers must have a policy where the worst cases that make instruction impossible to the rest of class are able to be removed. Question 5: The most important policy I would consider is to be parent led. Parents should be aware of and ultimately control treatment plans. Reciprocally no community provider should be hiding abuse that has been identified. These interactions between parties should be building trust at every step. A separate policy that should come from the state level is that no child should be forced to remain in proximity to the violent students. Parents have a right to know when crimes are committed against their children even if it is perpetrated by other children. There is a lot of strain placed on adjusted children by being subjected to abuse from others. Schools should be allowed to deny entry from the most disruptive cases and refusal to do so should generate liability. I have personally have had to see these cases play out from daycare and schools where protection is afforded to perpetrators, but not the victims. Question 6: Student mental health is a core concern of education generally. Every adult knows they do not work well when not in the right headspace. This loss of performance is multiplied in developing minds. Beyond basic learning, mental health creates safety, and community. When people do not feel safe in their own heads, relationships strain, isolation sets it and problems compound. I also want the great public employees in the state to know that I do not think you should be subjected to abuse and violence from students. Public education should not be treated as a day care that cannot say no to new applicants. It is a privilege to receive a state funded education and you nor other students should be forced into proximity with violent offenders.

Tyler Farnsworth (D) Question 1: Schools must be equipped to serve as a frontline support system for students facing early mental health challenges. Too many children struggle with depression and anxiety that go unnoticed until they escalate into crises—when early identification and intervention could change everything. To make that possible, schools need the staffing and resources for social workers to build meaningful, trusting relationships with students. In my clinical experience, I’ve cared for many children whose conditions could have been managed with early, school-based support—potentially avoiding inpatient care altogether. We’re also seeing students leave classrooms for online learning due to anxiety and social difficulties. That’s a clear signal: we need to meet students where they are. With the right support, school professionals can help students build resilience, strengthen social skills, and stay engaged in their education. Investing in student mental health improves not just well-being, but attendance, academic outcomes, and family stability. Most importantly, it changes lives. To make this real, I would introduce federal legislation to raise the federal minimum wage to $17/hour—driving market adjustments that increase pay for school-based social workers. I would also secure federal funding to help schools create dedicated therapeutic spaces. Without manageable caseloads, it’s nearly impossible to build the trusting relationships that effective care requires. School social workers enter this field to improve young lives—they deserve the resources to do that work well. I will sponsor legislation to make the 1:250 student-to-school social worker ratio a federal mandate, not just a recommendation. Question 2: School-based mental health professionals should be empowered to provide care that closely mirrors what a student would receive in a clinical setting. Their role is not just supportive—it is essential to ensuring students are safe, emotionally regulated, and able to fully engage in learning. Confidentiality must also be protected. Students need to know they have a safe space to speak openly, within clear ethical boundaries. That includes maintaining confidentiality except in situations involving abuse, neglect, or risk of harm to themselves or others. Trust is what makes early intervention possible. In addition, school-based professionals should be equipped with evidence-based tools and training. This includes the ability to use validated screening instruments like the GAD-7, PHQ-9, and the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index to assess student needs, guide interventions, and determine when referrals are necessary. Question 3: With suicide a leading cause of death among youth in Utah, we must act with urgency to expand access to mental health care. The data is clear: Utah faces a severe provider shortage. A 2020 report from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute found we rank among the lowest in the nation for youth mental health access—just six child and adolescent psychiatric providers per 100,000 children—and that gap is likely to grow. We cannot rely on the traditional provider pipeline alone. Expanding school-based mental health services is one of the fastest, most effective ways to increase access. By fully staffing schools with social workers and equipping them for early intervention, we can support students sooner and reduce the need for higher levels of care. But schools should not carry this burden alone. I have worked in—and strongly believe in—an integrated care model. We should bring nonprofit healthcare systems into partnership with school districts to provide on-site access to psychologists and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners, working alongside school social workers to support students and families in real time. As a U.S. House Representative, I would introduce federal grant funding to implement this integrated model as a pilot in Utah. We would track outcomes with clear data: changes in school absences, emergency department boarding for pediatric psychiatry, inpatient admissions, and direct feedback from students, families, social workers, and clinicians. At the same time, we must confront inequities in access. While Medicaid and CHIP work well in some parts of Utah, access to traditional outpatient and intensive services varies widely by county—creating dangerous delays in care. I’ve seen firsthand how these gaps impact families. I would work with state and local leaders to ensure all children covered under Medicaid have access to the same resources. Long term, I support a universal coverage model like Medicare for All to guarantee care regardless of income or insurance. But right now, we must ensure every child—no matter where they live—has equitable, timely access to mental health support. Question 4: Early intervention depends on having clear, consistent systems to identify students before they reach a crisis point. One of the most effective strategies is implementing universal mental health screenings at key points during the school year. Using validated tools allows schools to identify students who may not outwardly show distress but are quietly struggling with anxiety, depression, or trauma. Equally important is creating a culture of regular, low-barrier check-ins. Students are far more likely to open up when support feels routine rather than reactive. Brief check-ins, integrated into the school day, normalize help-seeking and make it easier to catch concerns early. Schools should also utilize a tiered system of support, where all students receive foundational social-emotional learning, at-risk students receive targeted interventions, and those with higher needs are connected to individualized care. This structure ensures early signals are not missed and support is matched appropriately. Finally, identification only works if students trust the system. That means ensuring confidentiality, safe spaces, and consistent access to trained professionals who can respond appropriately once a need is identified. If we focus on building strong screening systems, normalizing check-ins, and creating clear pathways to care, schools can move from reacting to crises to preventing them altogether. Question 5: State and local policy should serve as the infrastructure that makes collaboration between schools, families, and providers consistent, accountable, and effective—not optional. First, states should establish formal cross-system frameworks that require coordination between school districts, healthcare systems, and community providers. Too often, collaboration depends on individual relationships rather than policy, which leads to inconsistency and gaps in care. Second, policy should support shared communication systems and clear care coordination standards—so schools, families, and providers can work together efficiently while still protecting student confidentiality. Without clear guidance and support, critical information can remain siloed, delaying care. I also support creating a multidisciplinary advisory board at the state or regional level—including educators, families, students, and mental health professionals—to guide policy decisions and ensure they reflect real-world needs. That input should be tied to measurable outcomes and accountability. A key area where stronger coordination can make an immediate difference is in IEPs and 504 plans. Schools are deeply committed to implementing these supports, but too often they are asked to do so without the staffing, time, or resources needed to carry them out fully. Stronger policy can help ensure schools have the support, coordination, and capacity required to implement these plans as intended—so students receive the consistency and accommodations they need to succeed. Ultimately, the role of state and local policy is to eliminate silos—by aligning systems, supporting schools, and creating a structure where collaboration is built in—so every child has access to coordinated, high-quality care. Question 6: As a psychiatric nurse practitioner, I pursued fellowship training in child and adolescent psychiatry because I wanted to better serve children and families in our community. I’ve devoted my entire adult life to public service as a nurse, and I can say without hesitation that caring for kids and their families over the past several years has been the most meaningful work of my career. I’ve worked across inpatient, outpatient, and intensive outpatient settings, and one thing is clear: early identification and intervention can change the entire trajectory of a child’s life. I’ve cared for many children whose conditions could have been addressed earlier—often within the school setting—if the right resources and supports had been in place. I also deeply understand the pressure placed on schools and school professionals. Across Utah and beyond, you are being asked to meet growing mental health needs without adequate funding, protection, or public trust. You are doing everything you can to put students first, often within a system that makes that incredibly difficult. I want you to know that your work is not only seen—it is essential. School social workers are on the front lines of supporting not just academic success, but the overall well-being of children. Your role impacts families, communities, the healthcare system, and our broader economy. You should not have to carry this burden alone. My goal is to ensure you have the resources, support, and respect you need to do this work effectively—because when you are set up for success, our kids are too.

Kent Udell (D) Question 1: Thank you for providing me an opportunity to consider these important questions. Schools are one of the few places where we can reach nearly every child, so they play a critical role in early support, prevention, and connection. This doesn’t mean schools should replace families or medical systems, but they should be equipped to recognize needs, provide basic support, and connect students to appropriate care. The most important support, in my view, include: Access to trained mental health professionals within schools Early education in emotional regulation and resilience (simple tools like the 3-3-3 rule can be taught even at a young age) Creating environments that foster belonging, connection, and positve relationships Encouraging healthy habits (sleep, nutrition, physical activity, and reduced or zero substance use) as part of overall well-being School-based mental health professionals are essential partners in this work. They provide early intervention, help students navigate challenges, support families, and reduce barriers to learning. Their role should be integrated into the broader educational environment (not siloed!)so that teachers, administrators, and support staff can work collaboratively to support the whole child. At the same time, I recognize that I am not a mental health expert. I deeply value the expertise of school social workers, counselors, and psychologists, and as a member of Congress I would remain open, accessible, and committed to learning from those on the front lines. From what I understand, access remains one of the biggest challenges, along with stigma. Too many families face cost barriers, long wait times, simply can’t find providers or have a family culture where mental issues are considered taboo. I believe we should: Expand the mental health workforce, especially in underserved and rural areas Support school-based services to reduce access gaps Ensure that cost is never a barrier to receiving care Strengthen partnerships between schools, families, and community providers Address cultural differences in approaching mental health Ultimately, I believe mental health is a human rights issue. A young person cannot fully experience liberty, opportunity, or their full potential if they are mentally struggling without support. We need to treat mental health care as essential, not optional,and build systems that care for the whole person. Question 2: School-based mental health professionals play an essential role in supporting the whole student. These professionals provide early intervention, help students navigate challenges, support families, and remove barriers to learning. Their role should be integrated into the school community, working alongside teachers and administrators to create environments of safety, belonging, and well-being. My wife is a Cultural Anthropologist with a background in Medical Anthropology and she has taught me that it is also important that these professionals receive culturally sensitive training, so they can effectively support students from diverse backgrounds and understand the unique experiences that shape their mental health. She recommends everyone in public/community health read ""The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down"" by Anne Fadiman. Question 3: Access to mental health care should not depend on income or location but unfortunately in America it does. If we’re serious about caring for the whole person, support must be timely, affordable, and accessible. That means expanding the mental health workforce especially in rural areas like the the district I hope to represent in Utah (CD3). Strengthening school-based services, improving coordination with community providers, and reducing out-of-pocket costs seem like obvious directions we can go to improve access. I think, Telehealth is hugely important in bridging gaps where providers are limited. From what I understand, early access is key. The sooner students and families get support, the better the outcomes for everyone. Question 4: Prevention and early intervention are some of the most effective ways we can support student mental health. When we give young people tools early such as emotional regulation, stress management, and building healthy relationships, we help prevent small struggles from becoming crises. We can learn from countries like Finland and Denmark, where early childhood programs focus on the whole child. These amazing programs prioritizing play-based learning, emotional development, and a strong sense of safety and belonging from the earliest years. In Finland, for example, early education is designed around well-being, with an emphasis on play, connection, and social-emotional learning as the foundation for lifelong health. Maybe there are programs like this in the U.S. already, but I am not familar with them. Simple, practical approaches matter. Teaching age-appropriate skills like the 3-3-3 rule, creating environments of belonging, and encouraging healthy habits like sleep, movement, and nutrition can make a real difference. Equally important is early access to trusted adults in schools who can recognize when something is off and step in with support or connect students to additional care. If we care for the whole child early, we set them up not just to succeed in school, but to lead healthier, more balanced lives and be productive, well-balanced citizens. Question 5: Supporting student mental health takes a whole-community approach. Schools cannot do it alone. Strong partnerships with families & community providers are essential to caring for the whole child. State and local policy should focus on making those partnerships easier and more effective. That means supporting coordination between schools and local providers, reducing administrative barriers, and investing in systems that connect students and families to care early and seamlessly. We should also prioritize community-based solutions, especially in rural and underserved areas, where access can be limited. Schools can serve as trusted hubs, but they need the support and flexibility to work closely with families and local professionals. At the end of the day, policy should help build aligned, connected systems of care,so no child falls through the cracks, and support is accessible, timely, and centered on the whole person. Question 6: Again, I want to acknowledging that I am not a mental health expert; I am an engineer. But I have deep respect for the social workers, counselors, and educators who do this work every day. You are on the front lines, and your insight matters. What I do bring is a strong belief that we must care for the whole person and within the context of their culture.. Mental health is foundational to a student’s ability to learn, grow, and thrive, and it deserves to be treated as essential, not secondary. As a member of Congress, I would be committed to listening, learning, and working alongside experts like you. I would welcome the opportunity to meet, hear your experiences, and better understand what is working, what is not, and how policy can support you more effectively. My role is not to have all the answers, but to help ensure that your expertise is heard and translated into real support for students and families. Thank you for letting me share me thoughts.

Scott Hatfield (R) Question 1: Schools absolutely have a role in supporting student mental health, but that role must be supportive, not substitutive of the family. Parents are the primary influence in a child’s life, and any effort in schools must respect that. First, schools should focus on creating safe, structured, and disciplined environments where students can learn without chaos, bullying, or constant disruption. Stability alone goes a long way in improving mental well-being. Second, schools should ensure access to counselors and trained professionals who can identify students in crisis and connect families with appropriate resources. This support must be transparent and involve parents, not go around them. Third, we need to address root causes. Increased anxiety and depression are tied to social media overexposure, family instability, and a lack of purpose and accountability. Schools can help by promoting physical activity, real-world skills, and peer connection, not more screen time or ideological programming. Finally, the most important supports are: •Strong families •Safe school environments •Parental involvement and consent •Access to professional help when truly needed We don’t fix this by expanding bureaucracy. We fix it by strengthening families, restoring order in schools, and ensuring help is available when it matters most. Question 2: School-based mental health professionals play an important role, but it must be clearly defined. Their primary responsibility should be to identify students in crisis, provide immediate support, and connect families with appropriate care. They should not replace parents or act independently of them. Parental involvement and consent must be the standard, not the exception. Transparency builds trust and ensures the right decisions are made for each child. These professionals are most effective when they: •Support student safety and crisis intervention •Help maintain a stable learning environment •Act as a bridge between schools, families, and outside providers The goal is not to expand bureaucracy inside schools, but to ensure that when a student is struggling, help is available, families are involved, and real care is accessible. Question 3: Access is a real issue in Utah, especially in rural communities. The solution is not more federal control, but removing barriers and empowering local solutions. We can improve access by: •Expanding telehealth services, especially in rural areas •Incentivizing providers to serve underserved communities through state-led programs and targeted grants •Supporting community-based and faith-based organizations that are already trusted by families •Increasing transparency in pricing and insurance coverage to reduce cost barriers •Encouraging public-private partnerships to expand capacity without growing government bureaucracy Most importantly, we need to focus on prevention by strengthening families, reducing harmful influences like excessive social media exposure, and promoting real connection, purpose, and accountability. If we do that, we don’t just treat the problem, we start to reverse it. Question 4: The most effective early intervention starts with awareness, accountability, and family involvement. Schools should focus on identifying warning signs early through teacher training, consistent communication, and behavioral observation, not intrusive or overreaching screening systems. Teachers and staff are often the first to notice when something is wrong, and they need the tools to act appropriately. Clear protocols should be in place so that when a student is struggling: •Parents are notified immediately •Students are connected with qualified professionals •Schools act quickly in cases of safety concerns or crisis Prevention also means addressing root causes. We should be promoting: •Strong peer relationships and mentorship •Physical activity and reduced screen dependence •A culture of discipline, purpose, and belonging in schools Early intervention works best when schools support students while keeping families at the center of decision-making. Question 5: State and local policy should focus on empowering partnerships, not controlling them. The best outcomes happen when schools, families, and community organizations work together, especially at the local level where people understand their communities best. Policy should: •Encourage local partnerships with mental health providers, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations •Reduce barriers for community providers to work with schools •Provide flexible, state-level funding that communities can use based on their specific needs •Ensure parental rights and transparency are protected in all collaborations We don’t need a one-size-fits-all federal solution. Utah communities are different, and policy should respect that by allowing local leadership to drive solutions. Strong communities build strong kids. The role of government is to support those connections, not replace them. Question 6: I want educators and school social workers to know that I respect the work they do and the challenges they face every day. You are often on the front lines with students who are struggling. At the same time, we have to be clear about roles. Schools are a support system, not a replacement for parents or families. The most effective approach is one built on trust, transparency, and collaboration with parents, not separation from them. We also need to be honest about what is driving many of these challenges. Students today are dealing with increased screen time, social pressure, and a lack of real-world connection and purpose. Addressing mental health means looking beyond just treatment and focusing on prevention, stability, and strong support systems at home and in the community. My goal is not to place more burden on schools, but to ensure you have the ability to: •Help students in real crisis •Maintain safe and structured learning environments •Work in partnership with families and communities If we strengthen families, restore stability in schools, and make real help accessible when it’s needed, we will start to see meaningful change.

Isaiah Hardman (R) Question 1: First, teachers should report behavioral and mental health abnormalities, and the report should go directly to parents. School counselors and social workers are highly effective at helping students, giving recommendations to parents, and building plans with administrators to address issues. A layer deeper is the simple constraint that schools are bad systems for boys and young men to thrive in. Morning sunlight, windows, regular movement, phone free schools are all strategies that address some common mental health issues at the root. School nutrition is also an easily correctable issue that directly affects cognition. The new food pyramid should be applied at all public schools and federally funded breakfasts and lunches. Fish, particularly herring, is high in vitamin D and can help with seasonal depression. Question 2: Responding to teacher concern, first conversation after behavioral issues, liaison between parents teachers and administrators, potentially family therapist. Something important is that this should be like standard therapy or counseling for minors, with appropriate parental oversight. Gender affirming care seems like an issue if parents don’t approve it, but that’s a larger conversation ongoing in the social work and counseling world. Question 3: Widely available internships for counseling and social work majors or those seeking licensure. Student loan forgiveness programs, which I believe are already extant for federal employees should extend to school social workers and counselors. If that is already how it works I apologize for my ignorance. Question 4: Y’all are the social workers that likely know better than me. But proactive support for struggling young people seems obvious. Overall the public school system needs a deep procedural audit that takes evidence based strategies, applies them in a semi randomized trial that encompasses the whole country. Then we analyze the data, adjust procedure, and repeat. It’s crazy that with the resources we have this isn’t done. What if houseplants in classrooms adjusted mental health scores by 5 percent? There is evidence it might, so we should investigate further, on that and hundreds of other structural interventions. This is America. We are know for trying new things out. Why public schools look the same as they did in Prussia in the 1800s is a mystery to me. Question 5: I don’t understand the question entirely. I would love to be educated on the community providers you are referring to. But yes, families and schools should be in stronger communication, and who is known for communication? Why, social workers and counselors. Question 6: I worked as an outdoor immersion specialist in a title I school 2020-2023, and absolutely loved it. I taught K-12 and saw firsthand the impacts of COVID, technological immersion, changing family and social dynamics, and rising diagnoses of every kind. I am a big fan of johann Haris book “lost connections” , so I think application of some of those strategies in the school system is a good idea. Children are dynamic and challenging them physically and mentally is almost always good for them. I taught a lot of lessons on emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness. I think those three skills (heck let’s make it the whole DBT handbook) should be taught in elementary, then middle, then high school. Obviously with modified lessons.

PASITALE F. LUPEAMANU

MIKE KENNEDY

ARCHIE WILLIAMS

STEVEN BURT

State Senate & House Candidates

Jared Neal (D) Question 1: I believe the primary role of a school is to act as a bridge to care. Schools should not necessarily be the final destination for long-term clinical treatment, but they are the most effective environment for early identification and rapid response. Policies like universal screenings, collaborative meetings between teachers, counselors and psychologists, and even direct access to immediate mental health care would be beneficial. In Utah, where resource gaps between neighborhoods can be significant, schools serve as the ultimate vector for government and community assistance. In lower-resource areas, a school social worker is often the only accessible link to the broader social safety net. If we had more school social workers we could remove barriers that prevent families from receiving help (like arranging transportation or other costs), help provide wraparound care, optimize funding by spending this where its needed rather than blanket state wide programs. Question 2: I think their presence ensures that we treat mental health as a prereq for learning. I would like to think they are there for early detection, de-escalation and treatment of accute episodes, and resource coordination. It would also be beneficial for the teachers to learn from them to help manage the classroom. Question 3: It requires investment, plain and simple. Closing medicaid gaps could go a long way in ensuring the families stuck could at least eliminate the cost factor. Provider shortages and long wait times effects everyone in the state - It's ultimately a supply issue. The state could address this by hiring more counselors and therapists to work within the school system, alleviating some of the burden on the rest of the medical system. As a candidate I am generally supportive of putting more money towards those types of responders than additional police intervention. Question 4: Universal screenings early and regularly (like yearly) are effective. The school could identify kids with a ""high-risk"" factors through other information as well for additional or more thorough screening. Examples of this could be kids going through stressful life events (divorce, death in the family, parents losing a job), children who are receiving help in other ways, such as Medicaid or free lunch, or a student who had a sibling that was flagged in a screening. Once identified we could provide appropriate resources through something like an IEP. My son was speech delayed and was flagged through a pediatrician vists. This alerted the school district to provide early intervention and get him on an IEP before he even began preschool. It was a great system that helped him get all caught up before kindergarten. Question 5: The state government has the power of the purse. They can help by providing funding to the best community providers and make sure there is as little friction as possible between the agencies. Question 6: I have two children myself, 4 and 1, and my 4 year old has been on an IEP for speech delay. I saw the benefits of the early intervention and was so grateful as a new parent to have experts to talk to and reassure me. It is an amazing program. I understand that in order for a student to be successful, they have to have the best conditions possible, both at home and school. Teachers can only do so much, but if we invest in screening and intervention to help students family have their physical and mental needs met, we'll have the best students.

TAMI TRAN

ROBERT WANLASS

JOSH SMITH

Mackenzie Miller (D) Question 1: Schools should be able to provide basic mental health needs, like having a licensed therapist and/or social worker on staff that students can utilize as needed. These staff members can identify if the student needs higher level care or more specialized assistance. The most effective supports are preventative such as: the student being aware of their feelings and what to do with them, normalizing mental health discusses and breaking down the stigma of needing help. The most important thing we can do is the work before they are in crisis. Question 2: I believe these professionals need to provide mental health education on a more regular basis and provide 1 on 1 time for students who need it. Question 3: I think prevention is the best way to mitigate these issues downstream. In the current situation, we need more access to licensed and pre-licensed mental health providers and utilizing interns can help. I think mental health is just as important as physical health and it's a shame we are ignoring it or treat it as lesser, especially when our youths are committing suicide at a higher rate. Question 4: The teachers are our most immediate connection to the students so they should be educated on the signs of abuse, neglect, mental health decline and they can work with on staff mental health professionals to determine how to best help the youth. Confidentiality is paramount for youth to feel safe to explore their feelings with someone. Question 5: I think there needs to be a pipeline for youths who need more specialized care to move from a school provider to a specialist. Unfortunately, I don't have the answers for improving family cooperation because many people view mental health as a farce. If more parents were aware of the long term effects of poor mental health, I think they'd be more in board but I don't feel people in Utah take it seriously. Question 6: The idea of school is to prepare our youth to be successful in life, this includes mental health. Instead of burying our heads in the sand we need rapid change to address the shortcomings from previous generations when it comes to mental health. I care a lot about this issue and am open to discussing it further

BROOKS BENSON

EMILY BUSS

JOHN KNOTWELL

CHRIS SLOAN

Richard Whitney (D) Question 1: Schools should have an on-site person to help provide mental health needs. Support can be individual or group work. Types of groups can be varied and flexible; loss-parent, sibling, family, friend... Divorce, Academic-failure, stress... Question 2: They need to be approachable, students need access and to feel trust and comfortable to communicate. Close to friend level, maybe first name basis. Question 3: School programs linking, prevention specialists during school and also in communication with parents, maybe even monthly home visits. Question 4: By the accessibility of the prevention specialist. The PS needs to be active around the school, like during recess and lunch, assemblies, hall and grounds. Teachers have a good vantage point to see when a student is struggling. The teachers can cue in the PS. Question 5: The PS can be the go between with, students, teachers, counselors, parents and community providers. Question 6: In the past, I have worked various programs in schools based on these questions. There are good resources to connect with and help a well rounded approach, Horizonte and Boy's and Girl's Clubs are good examples.

Silvia Catten (D) Question 1: Schools have to play a big role in supporting student mental health because schools are generally a place where students spend a lot of time. Education professionals are often some of the first to see warning signs that a student may be struggling with mental health issues, and often have an understanding and/or training to intervene. Support should include talking with a crisis counselor or therapist for short-term or long-term issues, resources for seeking mental health treatments that require specialties, resources and recommendations for parents to seek accessible and affordable treatment, and general emotional support that is appropriate between teachers/admins and students. Question 2: Primarily intervention (students who need immediate or long-term support), but also professionals who can assess a students situation and make solid recommendations for course of care to parents and caregivers, but should also have the ability to drive decisions when there is a larger risk in safety or well-being. Question 3: Government at every level (municipal, county, state & federal) should be cohesively trying to find solutions to accessibility. Things like leveraging incentives to train and hire more professionals, finding funding for free programs for every population, funding mental health programs and offices in every school, and educating parents on how to find what they need easily (interventions like 211, etc.). Question 4: I think having accessible and somewhat anonymous ways for students to report themselves or others who are struggling could be helpful. Provide walk-in services for students and parents in schools. Question 5: We need more funding for programs and coalitions at local levels. Those can help bridge connections for finding solutions to broader mental health issues, but also issues that may arise in a particular community for a particular reason (cultural, economic, etc.). Community members ability to join a health coalition or work within the framework of good local policies supports an overall sense of community and support. We need to find ways for individuals and families to feel like they are not living isolated lives but have support from their local community. Question 6: I have been involved in the startup of Millcreek's Promise Progam and their health coalition for many years. I've experienced first hand that the perspectives of many people with varying backgrounds within the health and mental health fields has made a huge difference in the way policy makers look at issues and try to find solutions.

Colin Smith (F) Question 1: As someone who has worked in the mental health industry for my entire adult life, I know that mental health professionals engage in life-saving and life-changing work. Schools play an integral role in screening students for mental health concerns and implementing interventions, especially for students who couldn’t otherwise afford it. I want to increase funding to get more mental health professionals into public schools. Utah is well below the recommended ratio. We need more mental health folks in schools, so every child has access to these vital services. Question 2: School-based mental health professionals should be able to provide a range of interventions, from individual therapy to group social skills classes. We need to trust mental health professionals to use all the skills consistent with their training. Question 3: Ultimately, we need to expand Medicaid to ensure that all Utahns have access to high-quality health care. While we wait for that dream to become a reality, it’s extremely important to fund mental health services within the public schools to reach students who might otherwise slip through the cracks. Question 4: I’ve spent my career working with adults, so I’m not an expert at early intervention or prevention. As a senator, my job will be to get qualified mental health professionals into elementary schools so they can implement their training and expertise. Question 5: The Forward Party is a value-based organization. One of our values is to “use data to drive collaborative and effective solutions, regardless of their ideological source.” Over the past few legislative seasons, Utah lawmakers have ignored data and passed laws that are not supported by evidence. This needs to change. State and local policy governing community/professional partnerships should be data-driven, not ideology-driven. " Question 6: At eighteen-years-old, I was headed for disaster. Today, I have a beautiful, healthy life, and I owe that to the therapy, mentorship, and guidance that I received from a wide-range of folks in the mental-health field. This is life-saving and life-changing work. Thank you for your service.

RYAN L. MAHONEY

TAYLOR J PADEN

EVAN DONE

Annette McRae (F) Question 1: Schools are often the first place where students’ needs are noticed, but they should not be expected to carry this alone. Their role is early identification, building trusted relationships, and activating support. The most important supports are clear pathways to care and a connected community response. When a student is struggling, there should be a simple, immediate process that connects schools with families, providers, and, when necessary, community partners. Mental health outcomes improve when students are surrounded by coordinated systems—not isolated programs. Question 2: School-based professionals play a critical role in early assessment, short-term support, and coordination. They help stabilize situations, guide school staff, and ensure students are connected to appropriate care. Equally important, they should not be expected to function as long-term clinical providers for every student. Their effectiveness depends on strong partnerships with community providers so that care continues beyond the school setting. Question 3: Improving access starts with reducing confusion and delay. Families need clear, local pathways to care—not long waitlists and fragmented systems. In rural communities especially, this means expanding telehealth, strengthening school-linked referrals, and coordinating with local providers to prioritize student needs. Hospitals, counselors, and community organizations should be part of a shared network so that when a student is identified, the next step is immediate and clear. Access is not just about availability—it’s about coordination. Question 4: Effective prevention starts with people, not programs. Training students and adults through models like QPR and peer support systems creates a culture where concerns are recognized early and acted on quickly. Schools should use consistent indicators—attendance, behavior, and engagement—to identify students who may need support before a crisis develops. Early intervention works best when there is a clear response system behind it, so that identification leads directly to action. Question 5: State and local policy should focus on making collaboration easier and more consistent. That includes supporting partnerships between schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations; aligning funding where possible; and reducing administrative barriers that slow down response. In rural areas, this coordination is especially important because resources are limited and distances are greater. The goal is not to create new layers of bureaucracy, but to ensure existing systems work together seamlessly. Student mental health is a shared responsibility, and it requires shared coordination. We should be building systems where students look out for each other, adults are trained to respond, and communities are ready to support. When schools, families, healthcare providers, and local partners are aligned, students are far less likely to fall through the cracks. The focus should be on connection, clarity, and follow-through. Question 6: Yes—student mental health and academic success are closely connected to what’s happening at home and in the community. One area that deserves more attention is support for families who are still learning English. When parents have access to community-based English language learning programs, it strengthens their ability to engage with schools, support reading at home, and navigate available resources. That connection can make a meaningful difference in early literacy, especially by third grade, which is a critical milestone for long-term academic confidence. This isn’t about placing responsibility on families—it’s about making sure communities are equipped to support them. When families are more connected and confident, students are more supported, and that has a direct impact on both learning and overall well-being. Student mental health improves when the systems around students—including schools, families, and communities—are working together effectively."

RONALD M WINTERTON

Tucker Smith (D) Question 1: Schools need to be places where students can learn to engage in life, engage with others, and engage with academic content without dire consequences for failure. Schools need to provide a safe and supportive place for students to explore who they are, what they like, and what they will pursue. Providing this safe place means that schools need to prioritize connection and well-being through social activities, clubs, and extra-curriculars Question 2: We need mental health professionals within schools to help students that are in crisis. As a public educator, I see students struggling with deep mental health concerns frequently, and I am so grateful that my students have a qualified professional to discuss these deep concerns and struggles with. Question 3: We need to more fully fund public education, including mental health support and services within public schools. Public education allows all students, regardless of background or family income, to access what they need to succeed, which very much includes mental and emotional support from qualified professionals. Question 4: Supporting students through collaboration as a team that includes the parents, administrators, teachers, counselors, and qualified mental health professionals allows for each student to receive the intervention they need early on. Question 5: I believe more could be done to educate and enable teachers to report students they see struggling with mental health challenges, perhaps to administrators or counselors. Teachers have a unique experience with their students that may enable them to see mental health warning signs early on. Providing this opportunity to teachers would help identify early intervention needs more effectively.I believe state and local policy should provide adequate resources and funding to ensure qualified mental health professionals can be hired. I also think that state and local policy should do little to interfere these collaborations between schools, families, and community providers, beyond requiring certain people to be involved, such as parents, teachers, admin, counselors, and qualified health professionals. Question 6: As a public educator, I have seen very effective teamwork in supporting students with mental health concerns. I am blessed to work in a school where the admin and counselors care deeply about the students they serve.

KEITH GROVER

Kandee Myers (D) Question 1: I believe schools have an opportunity to support student mental health. I have a graduate degree from UPenn - studied with Martin Seligman - Masters of Applied Positive Psychology. For those not familiar with his work I encourage a look. I would support class or classes that teach well being models. I would be happy to meet with someone at your school to go deeper in my ideas. I support public schools and would love to see Utah excell in the areas of Student flourishing. Question 2: I believe they have a significant role given todays culture. Home life is busy, parents at times are overwhelmed. I believe it is appropriate we have mental health and well-being experts serving the students - teaching practical positive psychology science and keeping an eye out for the signs of students needing extra support at home and school. Learning to have curiosity, gratitude, savoring moments may sound trivial to some educators but for me it is part of what makes life worth living. Finding meaning and purpose is at the heart of my graduate degree. I love math and I beleive we can teach hard sciences and also elevate well being with evident based research on letting others know they matter. Question 3: Wow - I love this question. I can make time to meet if anyone at your school is interested. My initial answer is approaching well-being - not pathologize mental health - normalize the tenets of research that is very much at the forefront of what makes life worth living. If I am elected I will be an strong advocate for Property Taxes supporting public schools and making our public schools excel is taking in account the "whole student". I have a theory that adding a class on well-being (positive psychology) and encouraging gratitude & curiosity from an academic lens is a place to start. I expect some families will need extra hand holding and some students will show more reslience than others. I will be a voice for whole learning. Question 4: This is a great question. Positive Psychology has a term "positive interventions" which I expect there are some I may not know of at this moment. Policy is the key word. I want to elevate Utah's Education Policies so they include the latest evidence based research. I want to see Utah consider supporting - like financially - Early Childcare & Education - which could help families - overwhelmed parents and their children. I could see classes for parents or pulling together some focus groups to problem solve current issues. PP suggests to look for what is going right and build on that vs normal mental health - focusing on what is wrong and make it less wrong. Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman created VIA Classification which can in some ways replace the DSM - helping students (and the whole school) better understand their strengths and building on those strengths I predict might be an interesting place to start. I will be a State Senator who is mindful of our earliest education programs through HS. Here is a link if you are not familiar:https://www.viacharacter.org "Who are you at your Best?" is part of the mindset. Question 5: Policy can and should play a huge role. Where a State spends money shows what they value. I will be knocking on doors encouraging investment in our public schools - not cost -- seriously it is an investment. As I mentioned I love MATH and want math and science taught but for a student to learn - they need to have other needs met too. Do I matter. I am about mattering. Happy to meet if anyone is wanting me to answer addtional quesitons. Question 6: Summary. 1. I want to invest in the well-being of students, teachers, and all those who are serving our public schools. 2. I love Utah and beleive we can do better. 3.Utah has learned to do a lot with less because our families and educators care deeply. The next step isn’t simply spending more — it’s investing smarter. I want students to not only learn - I want them to thrive. I believe in accountability, yes. I beleive in smart spending, yes. AND I beleive our public schools deserve representatives attention. 4. Strong communities don’t happen by accident. I trust Utah is ready to invest better and I will be a strong advocate. I have a Masters of Applied Positive Psychology from UPenn. https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu

BRADY BRAMMER

KELLY SMITH

WAYNE WOODFIELD

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Chris Reid (D) Question 1: The primary support for students should be their family, who will have the greatest impact over the student's lifetime. Schools, as a secondary support, can provide counseling resources to both the students and their families to help ensure that the family can be a pillar of support and guiding light for the student. Question 2: Their appropriate role would be working alongside the family to help provide a complete support structure for the student. The family should always be the first support for the student Question 3: I don't have any potential solutions at this time Question 4: I believe the most effective strategy would be to have a yearly seminar for all students (starting in elementary school) where they will learn how to deal with stressors. They can be introduced to a variety of methods which can help them overcome much of the stress and anxiety these stressors cause. Although it may not solve the mental health concerns, they will have been taught the tools that may help them deal with the issues that arise and help them avert potential crises. Question 5: I believe that the role of the government should only be to require schools to work with families for the betterment of the student. Each family's dynamic will be different, and as such, it will be up to the school and family to work together to ensure their long-term sustainability. Question 6: The most important and fundamental unit of society is the family. When there are issues with the student, it is incumbent upon the school to work with the family for the long-term betterment of society. Neither the school nor the government can nor should replace the family, but should provide the resources to strengthen the family.

THOMAS PETERSON

JASON O’DELL

Kendra Penry (D) Question 1: I believe schools are an essential part of mental health services as students need wraparound care to address the mental health challenges of today. I believe schools provide three very important roles in mental healthcare for students: 1. Early detection and intervention. Since students spend so much of their waking hours at school, staff and teachers are often the first to notice signs of distress, allowing for early support that prevents issues from escalating. As long as they are trained to recognize the signs, they can be essential in ensuring early diagnosis. 2. Schools can help combat the stigma of mental health discussions by making them a regular part of the school day through classroom discussions, awareness campaigns, and trainings that make it more likely that students will be okay seeking treatment when needed. 3. Schools can and should be safe spaces. They should be nurturing, positive, and inclusive so students feel safe disclosing or asking for help. The two primary supports I believe are most important include Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), such as stress management, coping mechanisms and decision-making skills, as these are lifelong skills and the definition of equipping students for success which is what our schools should do. The second is school-based mental health services. Having accessible, licensed counselors, nurses, and social workers on-site reduces barriers like transport or scheduling. Additionally, it reduces some of the burden on teachers who can refer students to licensed help instead of having to manage it all themselves. Question 2: School-based mental health professionals in K-12 districts can help bridge gaps for families, and should be able to offer both group and individual therapy for students. They can ease the burden for teachers (as mentioned previously), by allowing a safe space for students to go in the event of a crisis. Question 3: There are several strategies we could use to improve access to mental health. This includes not only school based services, but also expanding telehealth and crisis services like the SafeUT app. Additionally, well trained, certified, and easily accessible peer-to-peer support can help ease some of the limitations of the system. Additionally, we need to establish and/or fund county-based hubs focusing on resilience training and early screening. They need to be local and affordable or free if we are serious about addressing the mental health crisis in Utah. Question 4: Staff training and mental health literacy is one of the first steps to helping students. Educators should be equipped to recognize warning signs and support students in distress. Secondly, peer support systems, such as trained peer mentors, can be highly effective as many young people might be more likely to talk to other students rather than an adult. Lastly, mental health education integrated into the curriculum can help students disclose and prevent discrimination. Question 5: State and local policy, if serious about improving student mental health, should include a sustainable source of funding. This should involve a diverse funding stream to overcome reliance on grants, ensuring long-term financial viability for school-based mental healthcare. State and local policy can also ensure alignment in data and privacy among all school districts. This can be the foundation for information sharing between school staff and community providers that is clear and easier than requiring each district to create their own. Policies should also mandate regular, high-quality training for school personnel to identify mental health issues and implement evidence-based interventions, again to ensure continuity across school districts and equity for all students. Question 6: I have volunteered for several years as a Court Appointed Special Advocate. Several of the youth I have worked with have very clearly needed mental health support both in and outside of school. I know how imperative it is to prioritize this for our young people because the consequences of not doing so are quite literally life threatening. It is time that we recognize the role government should play in truly serving the public and providing the resources all people need to thrive.

CASEY SNIDER

JIM ATKINSON

James Rich (F) Question 1: Schools are often the only resource that students have for getting the mental health support they need. I believe that schools need to have competent, trained mental health support staff that works in consultation with parents/legal guardians. With their education focused environment, schools are uniquely positioned to understand mental health issues, inform students and the broader public about those issues, and help to identify mental health issues within the school body. Question 2: I believe the most appropriate role of mental health professionals in schools is to help teachers and parents identify mental health issues, and communicate mental health progress with those providing mental health treatment (which could be the mental health professional within the school). Question 3: I believe that there are several barriers to receiving mental health treatment generally, and elementary age schoolchildren face additional hurdles unique to their age and environment. Cost is a major issue. Additional barriers include stigma and the difficulty associated with finding treatment that works. Mental health sufferers often don't want to admit that a problem exists, especially youth where such issues become the subject of ridicule and bullying. Mental health treatment that works for one person does not always work for another, and that leads exacerbated symptoms for the patient as they question why things don't seem to work. Utah provides ways to help defray costs of health care, but often qualifying for that help is far too difficult. Legitimate needs are turned away for unknown reasons. I would support efforts to make access to the help Utah already provides easier and far more transparent. I would also support efforts to increase economic pressure on health costs generally. Ideas on how this might be done could come from a diverse range of sources, including public research institutions, industry experts, and public polling. I welcome additional input from schools and health professionals within schools on what difficulties they face and what solutions they feel may work. I believe the best solutions are found by listening better to all. Question 4: I am not a health professional and do not have training in how to identify mental health problems. But as my children have attended school, I have seen concerned staff that genuinely care about the students. I am very grateful for their efforts. I believe that the love they have for the students is the most effective way to help those students. It is this love that allows them to see problems and understand and express empathy to the students. Then they are able to use their professional training to take appropriate follow-up steps. Question 5: I believe that in most cases, it is wise for the state to allow schools, families, and community providers build these partnerships in ways that suit them best. I believe that the state should be a resource that these local entities turn to for help implementing their ideas, instead of the state dictating what those relationships should look like. What works in one community may not be the right solution for another. I would like to see a larger diversity in local policies and not a one size fits all policy from the state. I believe that doing so would result in happier students and parents as policies can better match their unique situation. It may also create downward pressure on health care costs by increasing competition between providers. This can also help families be more satisfied with the care they receive as they have a smaller, more local provider to work with instead of a large organization that requires long wait times for help. Question 6: I would like all to understand that government works best when we listen to all. No one knows everything, and thus we need the input of everyone to find the solutions that actually make a difference. This means that I want to hear from those working with students. I want to hear from families. I want to hear from providers. I want to understand better the challenges that our schools and students face and what possible solutions might exist. I also want to express my gratitude and love for all those working with our students. It is often a very difficult job with conflicting demands from all sides. Thank you for loving the students. Thank you for obtaining teaching certificates and other professional degrees. Please continue your excellent work!

ROB BISHOP

BRAD B. BARROWES

Kim James (D) Question 1: Students can't learn logically with their pre-frontal cortex if their amygdala is overly busy with lots of troubling emotions. The most basic assistance schools can provide to student mental health is creating a safe, calm environment in which students' emotional well-being is cared for. Just like we've recognized that we must provide food so hungry children can learn, so we must also provide emotional security, so troubled children can learn. Question 2: Mental health professionals in school work with children who are identified by teachers, parents, and the kids themselves as having difficulties in the classroom or playground due to emotional-behavioral concerns. The professionals might observe the children, they might assist inside the classroom or playground through interaction with the student or advice to the teachers, or the mental health professional might pull the child aside into another room for a conversation, a time away, mental health counseling, and mental health assessments. The mental health professionals also would meet with parents, teachers, and principals. They would be involved in the administration of 504 plans and IEPs that involve children with mental health concerns. Question 3: In general in Utah, access to mental health care is difficult due to a shortage of affordable trained professionals. This shortage affects people of all ages. The state legislature could use its budget to incentivize mental health degrees in our state universities and allow school districts to pay higher (more enticing) salaries to mental health providers in the schools. If we could have adequate numbers of mental health providers, then we could staff schools to provide this care to the student populations at no cost to their families. I think there should be a mental health counselor on site at every school and a school psychologist for every 2-3 schools, at least. In cases where families can afford outside of school mental health care, and it is available to them, then referrals to qualified professionals could be helpful. Question 4: Many parents know their child needs help, and the parents can help identify this, if given the opportunity through conversations and/or a screening tool or questionnaire. Teachers see children who need assistance and should be given the tools to easily make referrals and/or requests for assessments. If teachers identify a problem that parents don't see or don't agree with, then that has to be negotiated. Students themselves should also be able to ask for mental health care. Students should be provided the vocabulary and assessment tools that will help normalize mental health care and recognize age- and need-appropriate ways to ask for help. Question 5: Mental health is a big concern in Utah. We need more funding for training mental health providers for all Utah citizens. But, for school-aged children, at least, that funding could and should come as the legislature determines the state income tax rate and the state budget for education. Rather than keep lowering income taxes (mostly for the wealthy), Utah must fund its schools adequately. There is no reason our state should be at the bottom for per-pupil funding. Question 6: My husband and I adopted children from another country when the children were 8 and 6 years old. The kids had suffered a great deal in their early life. That trauma greatly affected their ability to learn and function in school. I know far more than a parent should have to know about emotional dysregulation and its negative affects on learning, even in special education settings. I can't begin to tell you how many times my husband and/or I went to our kids' schools to try to resolve a problem, have an IEP meeting, or take our child home for the rest of the day, week, or 10-day period. I know how annual testing (in Colorado) sent my son to the psych ward at the hospital two years in a row on the same date and would have put him in the hospital the third year had I not insisted that he be excused from that ordeal. Both my kids ended up in adolescent residential treatment centers. Both of my kids have been involved with the justice system. I'm telling you all this so you understand the depth of my experience. Without any doubt, if elected, I will be an advocate for mental health care in and through the schools.

LIBBY SHELTON

KIM JAMES

JASON B KYLE

Rosemary Lesser (D) Question 1: I believe that schools play a vital and irreplaceable role in supporting and recognizing mental health needs. This begins with the recognition process by educators and other staff members, followed by referral to a trained school social worker. The social worker then assesses and provides intervention as needed. Without school social workers, I am convinced that students will fall through the cracks and never receive the essential care they require. Question 2: Absolutely! Question 3: The first sentence highlights well-known limitations of mental health services in our state. This makes the care provided by school social workers even more essential because of the alternative: costly, and long wait times. Question 4: I agree that early intervention and prevention efforts are essential. I believe that the health curriculum in schools should be developed in collaboration with mental health professionals and school social workers to provide age-appropriate prevention strategies. Awareness of various mental health conditions would also help students self-identify, especially through assessments by a school social worker. Question 5: The state should take action by increasing funding for school social workers. Local policies can support and enhance the efforts of local nonprofits and county health agencies that deliver mental health care. Question 6: I want social workers and educators to know how much I appreciate the important work they do to help students. I strongly believe that legislation involving school social workers and mental health should be created in collaboration with those professionals, rather than implementing "top-down" policies without understanding the consequences. Thank you for all you do to benefit students, their families, and your community.

JULIENE M SNYDER

JIM ALVEY

Dave Calder (D) Question 1: I believe schools have a role supporting student mental health. Schools may be the only source of this help in their life. The schools/school systems should have resources that include onsite mental health professionals and access to crisis interventions. Teachers, who are not mental health professionals, should be able to recognize students who may suffer abuse and other issues affecting mental health - and be able to refer them to school mental health professionals. Question 2: I concur that school-based mental health professionals play a role in supporting students. The professionals should be able to address depression, anxiety, mental health surrounding sexual orientation. They should also be able to address and help children experience abuse at home and bullying. Question 3: I believe schools are a primary resource for families to access mental health services - particularly for those who face cost concerns. I support expansion of state medicaid programs to help and additional state support to help non-insured and under insured families. Question 4: I am not a mental health expert but I will rely on those who are. I support evidence based interventions. An example: I was angered when the Utah Legislature ignored the study it commissioned from University of Utah medical and pharmaceutical professionals about the usefulness of gender-affirming medical treatments for pediatric patients with gender dysphoria. The legislature instead passed a harmful bill. Question 5: The state needs to provide policy that support the mental health needs of students and families. The state needs to fund these policies and personnel to implement them. Question 6: As a society we have an obligation to all our youth

KATY HALL

Jeffrey Anderson (D) Question 1: Schools have unbiased access to children. Therefore, they should be able to provide mental health care help. This includes quiet rooms where children can go during crisis Question 2: These medical professionals should provide a safe space for children. A non-judgment atmosphere. And help if they are being abused. Question 3: We need more school social workers. We also need to increase their pay so that they are treasured for their effectiveness. Question 4: Being able to send a child to a social worker. Instead of a school counselor. Question 5: State and local communities need to support social workers in schools. This is because schools have become so large. They are disconnected from society. Question 6: My granddaughter attempted suicide at a local high school. It took us over a year to get her on track as grandparents. Besides social work we needed to find a school that would support her. Fortunately, we found a small high school career path high that could meet her needs.

ROXAYN ELMER

TONY DE MILLE

ERIK R. CRAYTHORNE

Brandon Young (D) Question 1: Schools need to a play a very active role in supporting this issue. Inclusivity and anti-bullying programs, social programs celebrating diversity and offering students a sense of freedom for their overall well-being is essential. Question 2: What is appropriate is for these individuals to be well-trained and supportive in the issues students face. Being able to help a LGBTQ+ student requires cultural understanding to the issue. The same goes for other diverse and minority groups deeply impacted. Our social workers need to be a safe space for all, and not necessarily assigned to students but students being given a choice to which progressional is best to help them in their struggles. Question 3: We start by treating mental health as a crisis and offer these services free or at minimal cost. Stigma related to mental health needs to be curtailed. Question 4: Allowing teachers to be advocates and building trust with students is essential. Teachers who are allies can offer tremendous support and encouragement. Clubs and after-school programs to bring students together and share in like-minded acifivites needs to be supported and not removed due to funding. Question 5: Schools need all support either through legislation, ensuring funding is supported and solutions are provided when funding is cut. Schools already participate in DARE, and we need further programs related to mental health in early education, and professional services with healthcare outreach programs. Question 6: We simply cannot cut out programs, initiatives, and education that can make students feel safe. In fact, we need more to support diverse groups.

John Taylor (R) Question 1: Counselors should assist and intervene with Parent's consent. They should then be directed toward Licensed professionals. Having been an ecclesial leader and a Psychologist and having done plenty of family counseling with youth and adults and having working in the space for the last decade, I understand the challenges. However, I know where the approach should be and what will work and what won't. Question 2: Offering counseling with parent's consent is a possibility the just as initial screening. They should be used to screen and triage severity. They should be used to consult with parents and direct them toward licensed professionals. They should not be funded by tax payors. Long therapy sessions might be needed and this is unrealistic for tax payor funded programs. Parents must have the skin in the game and pay for these services. Question 3: Understand that I work in the Mental Health Space. You overgeneralize cost, provider shortages, long wait times, etc. I know this as I visit with all these professionals each and every day for the last decade. I know their wait times and costs, etc. I interact with social workers everyday. Cost is the biggest barrier but there are programs for that. I believe some teacher training that can help identify and triage and screen individuals in their classrooms is the best approach. Then informing counselors, parents licensed professionals for potential intervention. I don't believe Schools should fund and pay for these services but should be consulting with parents and then referring to professionals. I'm deeply concerned with the damage some professionals have done in other states for Affirming children juxtaposed to parents beliefs, rights and responsibilities toward their kids. There is a movement to eliminate parents from the equation and this has made me concerned and cautious toward "Professionals" offering these serviced in public schools without parent involvement and consent. Question 4: Helping teachers identify and intervene. Helping kids identify and recognize and report. Helping parents recognize and understand their options for help. Education and training in all these areas is important. Ultimately, identifying the source of depression, like phones and social media and addressing those challenges. Schools should stay in the business of educating and let professionals outside of school and funded by the parent be the ones to handle Psychological needs. Parents should not expect clinical professionals to be the ones to resolve their child's challenges. Any and all programs should be directed to helping parents raise and meet their kids needs. Question 5: We definitely should strengthen collaboration and training. State should consult the licensed professionals and parents as to what works and how to address the concerns. If the consensus is for a need to have professionals at the school level, we should then work for structuring that arrangement while keeping those costs away from tax funding but directed back to parents. They are responsible for raising and meeting all the physical, mental, social, emotional needs and as the "State" takes over more of these responsibilities, I anticipate some parents relaxing in their divine role. Schools and counselors can and should facilitate intervention where needed. Schools should educate but the counseling and cost should remain the responsibility of parents. Question 6: Working in this industry for the past decade and meeting with Psychiatrists and social workers everyday, I have first hand knowledge and am very familiar with the challenges and how to address them. Educating and training parents, teachers and counselors will go a long way for getting kids the help they need. If the state decided to pay for social workers, then there must be a diligent effort that parents have complete knowledge of it and have to give their consent. I'm most concerned about what has happened in other states that have hidden "Counseling" from parents. In some states, we have seen grooming toward gender confusion, from the parents perspective, as well as promoting ideals and standards contrary to parent's knowledge. I also see the services being overused and abused and parents not taking ownership if they don't have to pay for it. I anticipate costs becoming very high and the ROI improvements toward Remission, Symptom Improvements, Response rates not improving. Parents need skin in the game via paying for these services and not off loading it to taxpayers. We don't have to guess about the success of this idea, we can look at how it has played out in other states and there are significant concerns that would need to be addressed.

KARA TOONE

Erik Klauser (D) Question 1: Sadly, as the co-first response. Most parents no longer are vested in children's futures. In my generation, parents relied on the TV to raise their kids, just like parents now rely on the internet to do most everything for them. Support starts at physical wellbeing. Keep a child fed, so they don't need to worry about where their next meal is coming from. Keep them safe, make sure they have a designated outside-the direct inner-circle family member (grandparents, for instance) who is close enough and can ask the hard questions (about different types of household abuses). Keep them away from all types of social media until age 18, or until scientists can properly develop something that is not designed to feed addictive behaviors. A network that is a tool more than it is a fix for addicts. Take care of the physical, internalized aspect and take care to limit and control the external forces. These are interchangeable, but both need to happen to make sure that we are treating mental health causes and not just symptoms. Question 2: Their job, is arguably MORE important than school administrators. They are the ones who spot problems before things spiral and get out of hand. Each day Utah goes without violence at a school, is either a miracle... or because of vigilant teachers and counselors are spotting issues and intervening before things exacerbate. But they cannot help wee ones if they themselves, aren't healthy and prepared. We need mental health professionals with varying backgrounds, and weren't raised in bubbles, who can bounce ideas off of one another. Question 3: Work with a network of pro-bono doctors offices, for varying levels of emergencies. If a doctor knew that by staying an extra 20 minutes and seeing a student, they could not only save one life, but potentially many in preventing a school shooting... any doctor would jump at the chance. Definitely make mental health easier to access through medicaid. That and better access to free school breakfasts and lunches, with an afternoon snack they can grab on the way out of school, will help tremendously. Question 4: Give the kids the opportunity to learn early, how to look out for one another! Don't put it all on teachers and people who are doing it for money. Put it on their classmates for grades and the chance to make new friends outside their comfort zone. Required social constructs. You find the kids hanging out by themselves, then round them all up, find out their likes and organize them into fun activities. Give them the opportunity to get to know each other, Breakfast Club-Style... Even if you have to go a 2 on 2 buddy system. Make it an overall school assignment. "What did the other 3 do this week?" Then compare answers through automatic databases for ease... you will easily see who doesn't want to do the work. Other countries do this, private schools do this... people make lifelong connections. And if they don't, or if the connections are "too good", then do a quick reshuffle. Question 5: Definitely more involvement with the use of scientific studies, tried-and-true methods, and more funding. You need to properly set up the synergy for the 3 to work off of each other, without any one taking advantage of the other. Schools will help parents, parents will help community providers, community providers will help schools, round and round. If the government tells the people "this is good", then the people are more apt to be on board and fund it... but to counter that, if deciding "this is bad"... well, long story short, measles outbreaks and more banned books. Policy needs to be fluid enough to change with the times, and not carry favor with one side or another. Hold onto what matters, while releasing things which are holding us back. Question 6: I really wish mental health assistance in schools would have existed when I was a student... could have solved many issues earlier in life vs decades later, which negatively impacted my life. Following along the studies, students will dislike my policies because of my push for complete ban of social networking and entertainment sites, phones in schools (unless needed for active emergencies, or mandatory medical devices, like an insulin pump / CGM, not wearable accessories) and a push for a higher spending per student with less being wasted on digital garbage, and more on classic textbooks. Of course, I'm also a fan of things which will most likely never change. Things like updated, longer school hours with only 1 month off in summer... all of that will be needed unless kids are just going to rely on AI for everything, and we have no need to compete with students in the top 180 countries of the world... We need to give the kids the resources, then teach them that their brains are the best tools they will ever have, and not to ruin them with internet garbage, social media or AI.

Ariel Defay (R)

Abigail Treasure (D) Question 1: The most important role schools play is fostering a safe and welcoming environment where students can thrive. Implementing an evidence based social and emotional learning program in classrooms provides students with coping strategies as well as with information for available mental health resources. School based qualified mental health professionals are crucial for early identification and intervention. By creating a culture where it is safe to seek help and partnering with families and community resources, schools can provide immediate, tiered support, ensuring students are supported and don't face crisis alone. Question 2: Mental health professionals in schools should be available for students that need support during the school day as a first line of defense to help them get the appropriate out of school support. They can also support student mental health by teaching social emotional learning lessons and providing group therapy sessions where students learn coping strategies and social skills. School mental health professionals should not be the primary therapist for any student, but they should be a safe place for students to go for early intervention. Question 3: Public funded mental health resources should be readily available within the community. Programs like CHIP should be expanded to ensure any child in need of mental health support will not be limited in access to care due to cost. Schools and school districts can support families by providing community education classes on important issues facing children and teens. Schools can provide group therapy opportunities for students to build skills and access support. Question 4: Teachers work most directly with students and build meaningful relationships with them. Class sizes need to foster the development of these relationships so that teachers will be able to identify uncharacteristic behaviors and moods in their students. Students should have regular access to a school counselor that they have opportunities to get to know on a personal level. An onsite mental health professional can address concerns most immediately before they become a crises and support families in seeking they help that they need. Question 5: State and local policy should ensure that public schools are fully funded in order to support staffing needs and keep a mental health professional on site for early intervention. Public policy should allow schools to provide evidence based social emotional learning programs. Question 6: Fully funding public education is the first step to supporting student mental health!

TREVOR LEE

BOB J STEVENSON

Michael Finch (D) Question 1: Students spend a considerable amount of time at school during the school year. Our schools must have the ability to deal with any type of mental health needs that our students require. At the high School and Junior High School level we should have at least one full time mental health counselor available to our students. For our elementary schools there should also be access that possibly could be shared with other schools. Question 2: Their role should be to provide easy access for students with any concerns to be able to privately discuss those concerns. Mental health issues could come from social, economical, physical issues. Mental health Care professionals should be able to refer students to resources that can help the student regardless of what the mental health issue may be originating from. Question 3: Legislation that would appropriate additional money for more mental health providers in our schools. School districts informing families of the resources that are available. Question 4: With parental authorization, I believe schools should have private time students can have with teachers, counselors or mental health professionals to inquire about any concerns students may have. Question 5: Adequate funding for messaging about services available, and adequate funding for counselors and mental health professionals within our schools. Question 6: These are very difficult times for our children as they are exposed to social media that is often harmful too their self-esteem. Our students mental health needs to be a priority for school districts, local municipalities, and at the state level.

Matt Macpherson (R) Question 1: Their primary role should be in supporting IEP and 504 plans established by parents or guardians. Also providing information to parents and guardians about services available. Question 2: Their primary role should be in supporting IEP and 504 plans established by parents or guardians. Also providing information to parents and guardians about services available. Question 3: I would encourage more community and faith-based services as options, focus on ways to improve and strengthen family support and structure, home-based support and personal responsibilities for students by getting involved in extra-curricular activities, after school jobs, or service opportunities, and a focus on reducing social media and other addictive technology. Question 4: Training school staff on identifying concerns, involving parents in every step along the way. Focus on school climate issues that cause undue stress (lack of accountability, bullying, disrespect, lack of rule enforcement, etc). Question 5: The state should ensure parental rights are deeply honored and protected, while also ensuring there are as few barriers as possible for the industry to provide both quality and quantity of professionals needed, as well as allowing community partners to operate freely when appropriate. Question 6: As a parent of a child with a severe mental illness, I deeply respect the work done in this space, and want to ensure it is done in a way that removes barriers that exist for many families. Those barriers aren't just financial or practical, they include a deep distrust. By ensuring parental rights are always first and foremost in these policies, we can bridge that gap and get more kids the help they need.

DARRELL R CURTIS

TRAVIS ALICO

Tynley Bean (F) Question 1: I believe that society as a whole would benefit from helping our kids with mental health. Establishing the necessary skills while young will lead to better outcomes throughout the course of their lives and lead to a healthier society and economy. I think the best place to start is prevention: screenings at school, on-site professionals, and curriculum that normalizes getting the help they need. Question 2: Unfortunately, the ideal may not be practical in current circumstances. What I see as the current practical role for mental health professionals in school would be training teachers on warning signs/symptoms and best practices, working with small groups to teach skills, administering pre-screenings, crisis/de-escalation, and meeting with struggling students to establish a plan for further support (meet with parents, set up referrals, etc). Question 3: I would love to see the curriculum taught in day programs (Huntsman/Primary Children’s) taught in schools starting in Kindergarten, with refreshers through 12th grade. I think having therapists at school could really help. Question 4: A multi-tiered approach: Tier 1 (Universal): Focuses on prevention for all students through Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curricula, positive climate building, and mental health literacy. Tier 2 (Targeted): Provides small-group interventions for students showing early signs of distress (grief groups, etc). Tier 3 (Intensive): Offers individualized, high-intensity support and crisis intervention for students with significant needs. I'd also like to see proactive, universal screenings, on-site therapists, and non-punitive discipline. Question 5: State and local policy is most effective when it creates the conditions for schools, families, and community providers to work together consistently, predictably, and without unnecessary barriers. The core role of policy isn’t to micromanage relationships—it’s to build the infrastructure, expectations, and incentives that make collaboration the norm rather than the exception. Question 6: This is a very important issue and I'm happy to see you advocating for it!

Fred Cox (R) Question 1: We need both physical and mental help professionals to help at school. They should coordinate with parents and family medical professionals. They should not be primary support. They should recommend outside help when needed but they should not go around parents. Question 2: We need both physical and mental help professionals to help at school. They should coordinate with parents and family medical professionals. They should not be primary support. They should recommend outside help when needed but they should not go around parents. Question 3: We need both physical and mental help professionals to help at school. They should coordinate with parents and family medical professionals. They should not be primary support. They should recommend outside help when needed but they should not go around parents. Question 4: We need both physical and mental help professionals to help at school. They should coordinate with parents and family medical professionals. They should not be primary support. They should recommend outside help when needed but they should not go around parents. Question 5: We need both physical and mental help professionals to help at school. They should coordinate with parents and family medical professionals. They should not be primary support. They should recommend outside help when needed but they should not go around parents. Question 6: We need both physical and mental help professionals to help at school. They should coordinate with parents and family medical professionals. They should not be primary support. They should recommend outside help when needed but they should not go around parents.

JAKE FITISEMANU

DAVE PARKE

Julie Jackson (D) Question 1: I think we don’t have enough professionals addressing this in our schools. We need more counselors, social workers, and psychologists in schools. I also think that we need to be sure that educators have a strong perception of how to see when kids need special services as well as more supports in PBIS and creating a safe school culture. I don’t want teachers providing counseling, but there are things they can do to support strong mental health. I think we could also address the entire structure of school to impact mental health: high stakes testing, lack of breaks, school start times, recess, etc. Question 2: When a student’s mental health is blocking their ability to learn, a teacher should refer that student to a school-based mental health professional. That professional’s job should be to help the student get in a mental state to be able to learn. Question 3: Oh man. I’d love to know what you think about this. As someone who can possibly make improvements in this category, I’d be interested in partnering with you on this! My instinct is that we’d need to first address the shortage, which to me, is a result of low wages and high stress. I also don’t understand why it is hard to get into some of the graduate programs that are required when we are in a shortage. I don’t know much about this part of it all, but I also think that coverage by insurance is problematic? Question 4: I think we can look at intervention and prevention in the same way we look at academic achievement. School Based Mental Health Experts should play a key role in all 3 strategies: Tier 1 intervention is making sure teachers and principals have a strong understanding of how to create a safe space for kids. Tier 2 is finding ways to help kids find safety in smaller groups with more attention (ex clubs). Tier 3 is where school-based mental health professionals meet one on one with kids to meet their individual needs. I think there must be partnering between agencies too. Public education cannot hold this alone. Question 5: Partnership with community providers is key. Our focus in school needs to be on getting kids to the place where they can learn. Community providers are needed to help them on so many deeper levels. The current issue with state and local policy seems to be mostly concerned about the rights of the parent. I think we should focus a little more on the rights of the student. Sometimes school is the only place where a child feels safe. Question 6: I would be thrilled to have a conversation with anyone about this. I’m interested in learning more about what needs to be done. Thank you for your work!

ERIN JEMISON

Monique Ketcham (R) Question 1: Schools can’t replace parents, and they shouldn’t try to. But teachers and staff often notice when something isn’t right long before anyone else does. I think the role of schools is to notice when a student is struggling, make sure they feel safe at school, and help connect families with the right support. Kids learn best when they feel secure and cared about. The most important thing schools can provide is a safe environment, trusted adults students can talk to, and trained professionals like counselors and social workers who know how to help when a student is having a hard time. Question 2: School social workers and counselors are an important part of the support team in a school. They help identify when students are struggling and help schools respond in a thoughtful way. Just as importantly, they help connect families to outside resources when more help is needed. Schools shouldn’t be expected to solve every problem, but having trained professionals there helps make sure students don’t fall through the cracks. Question 3: A lot of families want help but simply can’t find it. Long wait lists, high costs, and not enough providers make it really hard. I think we need to focus on growing the mental health workforce in Utah and making better use of tools like telehealth so families in every community can get access to care. Schools can also help by making sure parents know what resources exist and helping connect them when they need it. Question 4: Early on, little changes in a kid’s behavior can tell you a lot. The sooner someone notices something is off, the easier it usually is to help. That’s why it’s important that teachers and school staff have the training to recognize when a student suddenly withdraws, stops participating, or just doesn’t seem like themselves anymore. Those changes are often a sign that something bigger is going on in their life. But training only goes so far. What really makes a difference is relationships. When students trust the adults around them and know someone is paying attention, they’re much more likely to speak up before a small struggle turns into a real crisis. Question 5: This is really one of those areas where working together makes all the difference. Schools can’t do it alone, and families shouldn’t have to either. When schools, parents, community providers, and local organizations communicate and support one another, students are much more likely to get the help they need. From a policy standpoint, the state should focus on removing barriers and making it easier for those partnerships to happen. Communities also need the resources to support students and families when challenges arise. At the same time, local schools should have the flexibility to respond in ways that make sense for their own students and communities, because every district is a little different. Question 6: School social workers and teachers see what most people never get to see, and I have so much respect for the work they do. Helping kids really works best when families, schools, and communities are all pulling in the same direction. When a student knows someone is paying attention and genuinely cares about how they’re doing, it can change everything for them.

ANDREW UZ

ROSALBA DOMINGUEZ

John Jackson (F) Question 1: Counseling, protections against bullying, teachers and staff who show their love for each student. Question 2: Listening to the students, acting on their concerns, and giving them love and positive feedback. Question 3: Programs in the schools Question 4: Teachers who watch for students who might be depressed or angry, and who draw them aside to listen and help them and also refer them to the professional counselors. Counselors who draw students in to their offices for discussions. Question 5: Perhaps a review board, with the schools, local government, churches, and recreation groups represented. Question 6: I need to study the issue more thoroughly.

ANDREW STODDARD

WENDY DAVIS

John Arthur (D) Question 1: As a sixth grade teacher, I see every day that students can’t learn well if they don’t feel safe, supported, and emotionally steady. Schools can’t replace families or mental health professionals, but we do have a responsibility to create environments where students feel seen, connected, and able to ask for help. That means investing in school counselors, social workers, and partnerships with community providers so students can get the support they need when challenges arise. Just as important, it means giving teachers time and training to build strong relationships with students, because those trusted connections are often the first step toward helping a child who’s struggling. Question 2: School-based mental health professionals are essential partners in helping students succeed, because learning and well-being go hand-in-hand. Their role is to provide early support, help students build coping skills, and step in when challenges like anxiety, trauma, or family stress start to interfere with learning. They also work alongside teachers and families to make sure students feel safe and supported at school. When those professionals are available and accessible, they help create the kind of stable, caring environment where kids can focus on learning. Question 3: As a teacher, I hear from families who want help for their children but run into barriers like cost, long waitlists, or simply not knowing where to start. The most effective solution is providing students who need that added layer of support access to a social worker right there in their school. I have several students who meet with our school social worker once a week for just 30 minutes, and the difference it makes in their overall health and academic outcomes is profound. Expanding the pipeline of counselors and social workers, and making sure services are affordable for families, would also make a real difference. Question 4: In my experience, the most effective early intervention starts with strong relationships and a school culture where students feel safe asking for help. Teachers, counselors, and support staff need clear systems to share concerns and connect students with help early, before challenges grow into crises. That can include regular check-ins with students, access to school counselors and social workers, and partnerships with families so we’re working together. When schools have the time, training, and support to notice those early warning signs, we can step in sooner and help students get back on track. Question 5: From where I sit in the classroom, the most helpful role for state and local policy is to make it easier for schools, families, and community providers to work together around the needs of kids. That means supporting funding for school counselors and social workers, encouraging partnerships with local mental health providers, and reducing red tape that can slow down access to care. Policies can also help create clear communication pathways so families know what supports are available and how to access them. When policy focuses on coordination and access, it helps build a stronger network of support around every student. Question 6: Just that I am so grateful for everything you do!!

DARREN CROFT

ERYN A RUSSO

STEVE ASTE

STEPHEN MILLER

Scott Stephenson (R) Question 1: Schools are one of the few places where nearly every child can be reached, so they play a critical role in recognizing and supporting student mental health. While schools cannot replace full clinical treatment, they should provide early identification, basic support, and connection to appropriate services. These supports help students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn. Question 2: School-based mental health professionals are vital members of the educational team who help address barriers that affect a student’s ability to learn. Their role includes providing counseling, crisis support, prevention programming, and guidance for teachers and families. They also help identify students who may need additional services and connect them with outside providers when necessary. Their presence strengthens both student well-being and overall school safety. Question 3: Improving access requires a combination of school-based services, community partnerships, and increased workforce capacity. Expanding school mental health staffing and strengthening partnerships with local providers can help reduce barriers like cost and long wait times. Telehealth and community-based programs can also play an important role, especially in rural areas. The goal should be to ensure students and families can receive timely support when they need it. Question 4: Early identification works best when schools create environments where students feel safe asking for help and staff are trained to recognize warning signs. Regular check-ins, prevention programs, and clear referral pathways to school mental health professionals are key strategies. Schools should also provide training for educators so they feel confident responding when concerns arise. Early intervention helps prevent challenges from becoming larger crises. Question 5: State and local policy can help by encouraging partnerships between schools, families, and community mental health providers. Policies that support information-sharing within legal boundaries, funding for school mental health positions, and community-based partnerships are especially important. When schools and local providers work together, students receive more consistent and comprehensive support. Strong policy frameworks can make those collaborations easier and more sustainable. Question 6: My perspective is shaped both by my career in law enforcement and my clinical mental health experience as a therapist, as well as my family’s connection to education through my wife who is a teacher. I have seen firsthand how early support and trusted relationships can change outcomes for young people. School social workers and mental health professionals play an invaluable role in helping students succeed both academically and personally. I deeply respect the work you do and believe you are an essential part of safe and supportive schools.

JESS BIRTCHER

JORDAN TEUSCHER

Rod Moser (D) Question 1: Schools must be more than just classrooms; they are the front lines of community stability. Today, we are asking our educators and social workers to provide world-class emotional support while we provide third-class funding. We also can't turn our classrooms into extensions of churches. Some of the mental health challenges we are seeing can have roots in stringent, inflexible religious creeds that isolate children even within their own homes. My priorities for student support are: 1-Protecting the Professionals: We are losing our best social workers to ""economic exile"". If a professional can’t afford a 2-bedroom apartment in the community they serve, they eventually leave. We must fund these positions as essential infrastructure, not optional ""callings"". 2- Addressing the Root Cause: We cannot treat a student's mental health in a vacuum if their home is in a state of constant financial distress. When a mortgage or rent consumes every dollar, it creates a scarcity trap where food security and basic stability disappear. 3- Integrated Stability: We need enough social workers so that the school day isn't just an endless cycle of crisis management. If you work full-time in Utah, you should be able to afford a stable life here, and that includes the people we trust to guide our children. We have to stop treating symptoms with thoughts and prayers. Real mental health support starts with making Utah affordable for the families and the professionals who live here. Question 2: The appropriate role of school-based mental health professionals is to serve as the stabilizing infrastructure of the education system. They are not a luxury or a secondary job; they are the bridge between a student’s home life and their ability to succeed in the classroom. I see their role as three-fold: 1- Removing Barriers to Learning: A child facing household instability (housing, food, or financial stress) is in survival mode. These professionals identify these external pressures and provide the immediate support needed so that a student can actually focus on their curriculum. 2- The Early Warning System: By identifying trauma and mental health needs early, they prevent small issues from becoming lifelong crises. This isn't just a good idea; it is a long-term savings for every taxpayer in the state, as it reduces the future burden on our justice and healthcare systems. 3- A ""Shield"" for Teachers: Our teachers are already stretched thin, often grading papers until 2:00 AM after 12-hour days. When mental health professionals take the lead on emotional and behavioral crises, they allow teachers to focus on their primary job: educating our children. If we want a world class education, we need to provide adequate funding for the people who keep our kids safe and stable. Question 3: To improve access, we have to treat mental health as essential infrastructure. Mental health is not a luxury. We don't just have a provider shortage; we have a cost of living crisis driving professionals away. We are also seeing a push towards creating additional legal barriers to healthcare in our state. We can't keep making it harder for people to get the help they need. My approach to improving access includes: 1- Ending Professional Economic Exile: We cannot fix wait times if social workers are being priced out of Utah. If a professional's salary doesn't cover a stable life here, they eventually leave the field or the state. 2- Meeting Families Where They Are: Fully funding mental health staff within schools eliminates the barriers of cost, transportation, and parents needing to take time off work. 3- Addressing the Source of Trauma: Household instability, which is driven by the gap between wages and the cost of living, is a massive driver of student anxiety. When we lower the cost of living, we reduce the primary cause currently flooding our clinics. You can’t have access to mental health services if the people providing the care can’t afford to call Utah home. We must also recognize that creating more barriers to mental health services is much more expensive and destructive down the road. Question 4: Early intervention is about long-term economic planning. It is far more cost-effective to address a problem in the classroom than it is in the courtroom or the emergency room. My strategies for effective identification are: 1- Empowering the Front Lines: Our teachers are the eyes and ears of our schools, but they cannot catch early warning signs when they are overwhelmed and struggling to survive themselves. We must support the professionals so they have the capacity to support our students. 2- Stabilizing the Home: We cannot expect early intervention to work if the child’s home life is a revolving door of housing and financial instability. When we fix the affordability crisis, we give families the stability needed for consistent care. 3- Proactive, Not Reactive, Funding: We must fully fund school-based professionals so that mental health support is a standard part of the school day and not a last-resort service triggered only by a crisis. Prevention is a choice of values. If we truly care about the future, we have to stop treating symptoms with good intentions and start fixing the broken fundamentals. Question 5: State and local policy should act as the hub between schools and communities, ensuring that collaboration is a funded reality. Here are some ideas, but I recognize this is not my area of expertise. I would want to work directly with the USSWA to find viable, effective solutions 1- Funding the Hub Model: We should create a system where schools act as community hubs where local providers (mental health clinics, food pantries, or healthcare providers) can work together to support families in need. This removes the issue between transportation and time that prevents working families from getting help. Often it is easier to see the mental health warning signs in children that are a reflection of what is going on at home. 2- Stabilizing the workers: We can’t have partnerships if our providers and teachers are driving hours to and from work. State policy must address the housing affordability crisis so that the professionals our families trust can actually afford to live in the neighborhoods they serve. This could be state-backed down payment assistance or housing stipends for school professionals who choose to live in the districts where they work. 3- Cutting Bureaucratic Friction: We need to streamline the data-sharing and licensing hurdles that make it difficult for local non-profits and clinicians to work directly within our schools. For a true partnership, we need a stable foundation. If we fix the fundamentals of affordability, we give our communities the breathing room to actually support one another. Question 6: We have seen our legislators attack marginalized communities in the last session. Our suicide rates is 60% higher than the national average. In our high schools, 1 in 4 students has seriously considered taking their own life. You are on the front lines of the fight for our children's lives and we need to protect the field from culture wars and uninformed politicians. I recorded a message regarding my feelings on our mental health crisis in our schools. I would love to have you watch it. It took me a while to flesh out the message and find a way to deliver it so that it would begin to influence policy. Here is the url: https://youtu.be/cOVDNzhaVOI?si=fRl6uSgWS_NEU7w8

TRACY MILLER

Braxten Rutherford (D) Question 1: It is simple: every school needs to have a dedicated mental health professional on staff, and on site each day. This is one of those issues that I don't care about the cost. This is a priority. I will not negotiate on this. Question 2: Students need a compassionate, professional, and experienced advocate. Less punishment and shaming for behavior, more dialogue and understanding. The data is clear on this. Students perform better when their mental health needs are addressed. Question 3: The answer is real, transformative funding initiatives that remove the cost barrier entirely. Again, the data is clear. If you remove the barriers to mental health services, people will utilize them, and societal outcomes improve. My colleagues in the Republican Party have neglected the mental health of their constituents for decades, and my Democratic peers have been too afraid to challenge the issue. Question 4: This is why we need more than a trickle of public education funding in Utah. We need a tidal wave. Competent, compassionate teachers (with smaller class sizes) are the most likely to identify signs of struggle. Even on a purely selfish level (something some of my Republican colleagues are well aquatinted with) education is the best investment that a government can make. I am tired of fighting for scraps. I'm a teacher. I care about your kids so damn much, and the struggles they face on a daily basis are unimaginable. What policies do I believe are most effective? MONEY. INVESTMENT. FUNDING. Question 5: Again, the collaboration I want to see is genuine, whole-hearted prioritization. It sounds crass, but this means money. The #1 role that government should play in public education is adequate funding. Schools, in collaboration with parents, know best how to meet the needs of their students. What they need is money, and they need it yesterday. Question 6: If you need help, or if you need me to volunteer for something. Call or email me. Day or night.

CAL ROBERTS

Lillian Bowles (D) Question 1: I believe schools have an important role to play in supporting student mental health because students cannot learn and thrive when they are overwhelmed, struggling, or in crisis. Schools cannot and should not be expected to do everything on their own, but they are often the first place where challenges show up. To me, the most important supports are making sure students have access to trusted adults, school-based mental health professionals, safe and supportive school environments, and early help before problems grow into bigger crises. Question 2: School-based mental health professionals are incredibly important. They help students feel seen, supported, and connected, and they also help families navigate challenges that can feel overwhelming. Their role is not just responding when something goes wrong. They are there to help identify concerns early, provide support, connect families to resources, and work alongside teachers and school staff so students have a better chance to succeed. I see them as a vital part of the support system for students and families. Question 3: Too many families face real barriers when trying to get help, whether that is cost, lack of providers, long waitlists, or simply not knowing where to turn. I believe we need to make access easier and more practical. That means supporting a stronger pipeline of mental health professionals, improving coordination between schools and community providers, and making sure families are aware of the resources that do exist. We also need to reduce stigma so families feel comfortable asking for help. The easier and earlier families can get support, the better the outcome for everyone. Question 4: I strongly believe in prevention and early intervention. It is always better to identify concerns early and offer support before a child reaches a breaking point. Some of the most effective strategies are training school staff to recognize warning signs, creating strong systems for referral and follow-up, building trust with families, and making sure students feel connected and safe at school. Sometimes what makes the biggest difference is simply having adults in a school who notice when a student is struggling and know what to do next. Question 5: Student mental health does not begin and end at the school building, which is why collaboration matters so much. Schools, families, and community providers all have a role to play. I believe state and local policy should help strengthen those partnerships by improving coordination, supporting access to resources, and giving schools and communities the tools they need to work together more effectively. Families should be treated as partners, and schools should not be left to carry this responsibility alone. Question 6: I care deeply about families and about making sure children have the support they need to succeed, both in school and in life. I understand that navigating systems of support can be overwhelming for families, and that is one reason I believe early support, compassionate professionals, and strong school-family partnerships matter so much. When we support student mental health, we are supporting the whole child and giving students a better chance to thrive.

LILLIAN BOWLES

CANDICE B. PIERUCCI

State School Board

JENNIE EARL

CATHY CALLOW-HEUSSER

MILO ANDERSON

James Martin (D) Question 1: Schools should be partners with families and communities in providing mental health supports. The school is a place where mental health needs to be prioritized. Schools see so many young people, and this makes whatever mental health supports that are needed more accessible. School counselors and social workers are an important part of this process. I have seen school counselors and mental health counselors holding individual sessions and small groups. They might also visit classes to support skills and competencies having to do with mental wellness. Teachers are an important part of the process as well. They benefit from being supported in trauma-informed teaching and creating an environment that prioritizes social and emotional needs. Question 2: Mental health professionals in schools play a critical role in prevention. They keep tabs on the beat of the school and make sure to intervene early if things are percolating. They know students and families and know how to be proactive in advocating for them. In addition, school-based professionals intervene when struggles occur, in collaboration with school administration, teachers, and families. They share resources and help students and families access them. I also believe that school-based mental health professionals are leaders in the school when it comes to mental wellness and safety. They might help educators in the building learn techniques and strategies for better addressing mental wellness in the classroom and in interactions with students and families. Question 3: Schools are a great community hub and can connect families and students to community resources. In addition, schools can house mental wellness initiatives in the school so they are more easily accessible to students and families. Money needs to be provided for staffing schools adequately so mental health support can be provided. Equity is not necessarily the same as equality in this regard. For example, there are some schools with higher needs that may need different levels of support. This needs to be accounted for and provided. Question 4: Right now, educators are hindered by the Utah State Board of Education's lack of support for mental health services and social and emotional learning. Policies need to be made that effectively facilitate the work of mental health professionals. Staff at USBE are ready with the skills and knowledge to support mental health professionals in the field. The staff is constantly discouraged from doing the work they see as most effective by a Board majority that fails to understand mental health needs. I believe that teachers need to provide early feedback on students, both from externalized and internalized perspectives. What I mean by this is students need to be evaluated based on both externalizing and internalizing behaviors exhibited in class. There should be early warning systems in schools that identify students who are struggling in a variety of ways. These early support systems should prompt quick intervention for students who are demonstrating struggles. All of this requires systematic organization at the school and district levels and an uncompromising commitment to social and emotional support and mental wellness. Question 5: It would be wonderful for state and local institutions to be on the same page. I am not sure this is currently the case. Mental health should not be political. Policy should build on the expertise of experts in the field who understand what is needed for student and family support. State policy-makers should be listening to the experts in crafting policy that effectively brings together state and local needs. A well-run state board is able to set policy that makes the work of mental wellness easier and more streamlined. The state is able to provide frameworks and resources that help local districts and schools do their work more effectively. The state can also be a great organizer of general community resources that local actors can access to support their students and families. When the state and local agencies are working collaboratively, effective work happens that makes mental wellness a priority and improves the overall learning environments. Question 6: I have been a teacher, a principal, a principal supervisor, and an education specialist at the state level. I have seen the important work of school-based mental health professionals from a variety of levels. The state school board requires a shift in leadership so that mental health priorities are not undermined. Thank you to school-based mental health professionals for their amazing work!

ERIN LONGACRE

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2026 Candidate Questionnaire:
Student Mental Health in Schools

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2026 Candidate Questionnaire: Student Mental Health in Schools

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2026 Candidate Questionnaire:
Student Mental Health in Schools