Protect Students' Safety: Restore $1 B in School Mental Health Funding
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC-05) – Chair, House Committee on Education & the Workforce, and House Leadership
Youth suicide rates have doubled in the past decade, and diagnoses of anxiety, depression, and trauma-related disorders are at an all-time high.
In 2024, Congress rescinded $1 billion from school-based mental-health programs — stripping schools of counselors and psychologists.
Why this matters...
• While the CDC reports a slight decline in youth death by suicide, it is still one of the top causes of death for youth ages 10–24 (CDC provisional suicide data, 2023).
• 42% of high-school students reported persistent sadness or hopelessness — the highest in more than a decade (CDC YRBS).
• 1 in 5 youth lives with a diagnosable mental-health condition (National Institute of Mental Health, 2023).
• 80% of youth who receive (mental health) care access it in schools (National Association of School Psychologists, 2020).
Passing H.R. 4253 – Expanding Access to Mental Health Services in Schools Act of 2025 will restore this lifeline so kids get help when and where they need it most.
Restore the funding — protect our students.
Petition by
Sponsored by
To:
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC-05) – Chair, House Committee on Education & the Workforce, and House Leadership
From:
[Your Name]
Dear Representative,
In 2024, Congress rescinded $1 billion from the school-based mental-health grants that fund counselors, psychologists, and trauma-informed programs in our nation’s schools. Since then, the need has only grown:
• Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10–24 (CDC).
• 42% of high-school students reported persistent sadness or hopelessness in 2021—the highest level in more than a decade (CDC).
• One in five young people lives with a diagnosable mental-health condition (NIMH).
• Schools are the primary point of access for youth mental-health services in the United States (NASP).
Cutting this lifeline puts students’ safety and learning at risk. H.R. 4253, the “Expanding Access to Mental Health Services in Schools Act of 2025,” would restore the full $1 billion and help districts hire and retain the professionals students rely on every day.
I urge you to:
1) Cosponsor and publicly support H.R. 4253 (if you have not already).
2) Press Chair Virginia Foxx and the House Committee on Education & the Workforce to hold an immediate hearing so the bill can advance.
3) Work with House leadership to schedule a floor vote without delay.
We cannot let the federal budget cuts dictate the health and safety of our children. Our kids deserve schools where help is available the moment they need it. Please champion H.R. 4253 and restore this critical funding now.
Thank you for your leadership on behalf of students, families, and all citizens who care about the welfare of our children.
Sincerely,
OTTP-NorCal is a division of Special Service for groups, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Citations:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Leading Causes of Death by Age Group, United States” (accessed August 2025).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Youth Risk Behavior Survey — Data Summary & Trends Report 2023” (covers 2021 data).
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Comorbidity Survey–Adolescent Supplement, prevalence tables (updated 2022).
National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), *Blueprint for Training and Practice* and accompanying position statements on school mental-health services.