Senate HELP hearing on mental health

On June 8, 2023, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) hosted a hearing titled, "Why Are So Many American Youth in a Mental Health Crisis? Exploring Causes and Solutions.” The hearing featured two panels of expert witnesses convened to discuss the rising suicide rates among young people and widening gaps in mental health care accessibility. The first panel, consisting of U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and Deputy Assistant Education Secretary Katherine Neas from the U.S. Department of Education, focused on the role of social media and federal efforts to provide mental health services to students. The second panel, including Connecticut State Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker, Dr. Joy Osofsky, and Dr. Joshua Garcia, offered compelling insights into local efforts that have demonstrated successful outcomes for students, schools, and communities in addressing mental health issues.

Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) opened the HELP Committee hearing on mental health with shocking statistics on the state of youth mental health. He pointed out that factors such as gun violence, obsessive social media use, political and economic turmoil, compounded with the ripple effect of COVID-19 pandemic, intensify feelings of loneliness and isolation, which can lead to poor mental health outcomes. Ranking Member Bill Cassidy pointed out that reports of teens feeling sad/hopeless increased from 37 to 42 percent between 2021 and 2022 and advocated for efficient use of government funds.

The first witness Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy said, “We have to expand our efforts to ensure that every child has access to affordable, high quality, culturally competent mental health care.” Typical healthcare is thought to take place in places like counselor offices and psychiatric hospitals, but the committee generally agreed that federal funds, such as ESSER, should be effectively utilized by afterschool and summer programs to improve the state of our nation’s youth mental health.

Most if not all young people live and learn in environments where gun violence is an eminent threat as It has become the leading cause of death amongst young people. Murthy stated that when he talks to young people across the country, many say that gun violence “undermines their confidence in the future.” Research from the Sandy Hook Promise, which was founded after the Sandy Hook shooting, shows that social isolation is a leading warning sign that a student may be at risk for inflicting harm on themselves or others. Sandy Hook Promise promotes student interaction through their various programs in an effort to reduce isolation. Murthy points out the importance of in-person interaction for to reduce feelings of isolation and points to places like the YMCA and Boys and Girls Clubs at being great at fostering these interactions. 

Senator Christopher Murphy honed in on the negative impacts that social media has on youth mental health specifically how it raises insecurities and contributes to depression and anxiety. He applauded the investments in mental health but also said, “…unless you get to the root causes of unhappiness and isolation and loneliness, there is almost no amount of money that can make up for that inattention.” Murthy agreed that social media is contributing to the isolation and loneliness that young people feel.

The Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Department of Education Katherine Neas said that there is “critical need” to connect students to community-based sources of care. She mentions the $83 million in grants for promise neighborhoods and full-service community school program, which includes afterschool and summer programs. She also mentioned a grant program for struggling school districts, Student Voices for Change, whose effectiveness Charlene M. Russell-Tucker, the commissioner on the education for Connecticut, praised. Russel-Tucker shared that 80 percent of the Connecticut student voice for change programs’ focus on mental health and use USSER funds. Including 33 million in ESSER specifically for summer enrichment.

Pending cuts to afterschool and summer learning through the end of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds is a threat to programs like what Charlene M. Russell-Tucker discussed. As a young person who has benefitted greatly from federally funded community-based organizations, I agree with the committee’s and witnesses’ suggestions and I am hopeful that continued investments will result in better outcomes for me and my peers, so that we can provide better outcomes for the generations that we will soon lead.