What Was the Goal?
I’m on a plane right now.
Just wrapped up a week working with students — laughing with them, listening to their stories, and talking about real things like anxiety, identity, and suicide prevention.
But as I sit here, one thought won’t leave my mind: What was the goal?
When over $1 billion in school mental health funding gets cut — including the very grants that helped schools hire counselors, psychologists, and social workers — I have to ask: Was the goal to save money? Or to send a message?
Because here’s what actually happens:
- People lose their jobs.
- Students lose access to trusted adults.
- And schools lose the staff that makes emotional safety possible.
These cuts hit two key programs:
- The Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant
- The School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program
They weren’t “extra.” They were essential. They were helping build the pipeline of school-based professionals we say we don’t have enough of — and now we have even fewer.
Let me be clear: my work through Up To It isn’t funded by these grants. But I still feel the ripple.
Because fewer in-school mental health pros means more students asking me if I’ll be back next week. More teachers stretched. More schools hoping a one-hour assembly can cover what a full-time counselor used to.
So again I ask: What was the goal?
If we say student wellness matters — if we wear green ribbons and post about Mental Health Awareness Month — then why are the people doing the work the first to go?
I’m not interested in finger-pointing. I’m interested in action.
So if you’re a coalition member, school leader, a funder, a parent, or anyone who wants to keep this work going — let’s talk.
Because our kids don’t just need awareness. They need systems that show up.
