Letters to the Editor: California is still lagging when it comes to mental health support in schools

To the editor: California has made progress in addressing our mental health generally, but has quite failed on access to care in schools for many children, something that remains an issue nationwide (“California young people are struggling with anxiety and stress, study finds,” Oct. 21). According to a 2025 Kaiser Family Foundation report, “approximately half of public schools reported they could effectively provide mental health services to all students in need.” This means there are millions of students going without necessary support.

Schools are widely seen as a place for young children to feel comfortable, where they can go to teachers and administrators when they need help. Yet there’s short staffing for mental health providers, Medicaid policies that stand in the way of opportunities for support, and limited funding.

The state should fully implement recent Medicaid reforms that allow schools to invoice for behavioral health services and, with this, expand partnerships with mental health providers so we can get these children the help they need. Every student deserves full access to care for both learning and their well-being, regardless of what state they live in. Investing in mental health at school should not be optional; it should be an essential public health policy.

Brezeida Dominguez, Oakland