How Covid’s mental health toll transformed California’s schools

Credit: Lasherica Thornton / EdSource

The Mental Health Conversation Is Here to Stay

A recent article from EdSource highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic pushed student mental health into the spotlight—and how that shift continues to shape California schools. With 42% of high school juniors reporting chronic sadness in 2021, the state has responded with major investments, including the $4 billion Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative and expanded support for school-based mental health professionals.

At Heartwise, we’ve seen that real transformation isn’t just about dollars or mandates. “The hardest stuff to change is stuff you can’t legislate,” said Heartwise founder Kendra Fehrer in the piece. The article highlights how a "coalition of the willing"—educators, students, counselors, and communities—is reimagining school culture from the ground up, in both well-resourced districts and under-resourced communities alike.

Read the full article at EdSource to learn more about this evolving movement and the work still ahead.