Dear Mrs./Mr. President,

Did you know one out of five students in the united states suffer from mental health disorders?  So if there is a class that has 25 kids statistically 5 of them would have a mental heath disorder. It is critical that students in poor communities get the help they need to get through their mental health disorders. I’m concerned with this because kids, that are just like my classmates, don’t have the funding to get qualified people to help . You should be concerned about today’s youth’s mental well being.

Too many times students with mental health disorders are overlooked in in the everyday classroom. According to npr.org “Up to one in five kids living in the United States show signs of mental health disorders,” they also said “80% of children who have been diagnosed with mental health disorder don’t get mental health services.” It’s hard to get help if you don’t think it’s needed. More supervisors in the classroom would lead to more detentions of mental illness. Finding the money to hire more educators will decrease the amount of undiagnosed students.

It’s unfair for kids with mental health disorders to be labeled as lazy students in the classroom. Students with mental illness may have an inability to concentrate and get distracted easily making it hard to make it through a day of school work, not to mention knowing they will be coming home to more homework. Csc.edu says, “31% of students have felt so depressed in the last year that they find it is difficult to function. Over 45% of young adults who dropped out of college said was having to do with struggling with mental health and 50% of them did not have access mental health services.” If students don’t get help early on it will effect them for the rest of their lives. Dropping out of college will make it a lot harder to get a job therefore, a harder adult life.

Grades aren't the only things that matter in a young student’s life though. They are also struggling with their social lives and themselves. It is difficult for students with mental health disorders to interact with others and take criticism. Offering support group and clubs to help kids open up with other students who can relate to their inner problems will create a comfortable and social environment. Csc.edu says, “Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death on a college campus.” This is not okay. Suicide has become a part of our daily lives as humans. I hear things on the news and read books about it. I a refuse to accept it and so should you. How are we going to have a strong country if the destruction is coming within us.

Some people may say the government doesn’t have enough money to give poor school the funds needed to get professional counseling, but wealthy schools find their money elsewhere as where poor communities and parents don’t have those other resources. So, why are we giving money away to something that will only be used on party decorations when it could be getting used for the good of the less fortunate.

Why are we letting this happen when we can help?  It’s gone far enough it’s time for the government to intervene. It’s only going to get worse from here if you don’t help. This unwilling way of living is not okay.  Bringing our people to their greatest potential will bring our country to it's greatest potential. 

From,

Mary Rose Hendricks