Trenton – In support of the concerned parents, teachers and staff demonstrating at the Statehouse today, Senate Education Chair M. Teresa Ruiz issued the following statement, expressing her commitment to fighting for the inclusion of in-school mental health and crisis intervention services in the FY 2021 budget:

“Six months into a global pandemic which has strained the mental wellbeing of people of all ages, and as we observe suicide prevention month, it feels surreal that we would even consider cuts to mental health services and crisis intervention in our schools. We are working in the legislature to better identify students in need so we can connect more kids with the help available, not less. If we were to move these services to community centers we would stifle the number of children we are able to reach and countless individuals would lose the resources they currently rely on. I am committed to ensuring this funding is included in the 2021 budget and these programs are restored for the current school year.”