Over the last four years, I have visited dozens and dozens of schools here in Delaware. I am often so impressed with the work that is being done by our teachers and administrators.

One of the things that they tell me is they are seeing more and more kids, younger and younger, who have mental health issues that are not being appropriately addressed.

This is a real challenge for our state, and it’s a particular issue in middle schools. That’s why, in my State of the State speech, I proposed a tenfold increase in the availability of qualified health professionals, mental health professionals, who can work with our middle school children to make sure that their issues are being diagnosed and then referred to proper treatment.

This is a significant investment and these are challenging times, but we owe it to our kids. There are so many challenges that they face these days, we need to make sure that we’re addressing their mental health needs.

I am asking the General Assembly to join with me in making this tenfold increase a reality. And by doing so, we can all help Delaware keep moving forward.

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