California's schools cannot afford to cut counselors who keep kids alive. The Pajaro Valley Unified School District is considering laying off every mental health clinician and most of its school counselors, a move that would remove the adults best positioned to intervene when a student's silence becomes dangerous.
The crisis of youth suicide is real and devastating, with men and boys making up nearly 80% of suicides in the US. LGBTQ youth are particularly at risk, with nearly 39% seriously considering suicide in the past year and 12% attempting it. Young people rely most heavily on school-based support, so removing counselors and clinicians would have disastrous consequences.
The issue is not just about removing "excess" staff but about addressing the root causes of violence and pain. We often frame what we call "school safety" as a solution, when in reality, it's often a reflection of untreated pain. Boys are socialized to swallow their emotions and then act out, while girls are taught to express themselves. This toxic dynamic is rarely acknowledged.
The author's work with a countywide stigma reduction campaign has given him insight into the issue. He notes that young people, particularly those from marginalized communities, need to see themselves reflected in messages of hope and resilience. The movement "Break the Stigma Not the Vibe" is a testament to this, with its billboards, bus ads, and schoolwide messaging designed by youth ambassadors who have been through similar struggles.
But what happens when we try to balance our budget on the back of vulnerable students? Removing mental health professionals would be catastrophic. School counselors and clinicians are not extras; they are core safety infrastructure. They notice when a student stops being themselves, when grades slip, or when friendships change.
We need to treat mental health as a priority, not an afterthought. California has invested heavily in youth behavioral health, but if that investment means eliminating the positions that translate those dollars into daily support, it's a false economy.
The choice is clear: do we continue to cut lifelines and hope for the best, or do we decide that in a youth suicide crisis, removing the people who keep kids alive is not an option? The author has lost loved ones to suicide and knows the difference between survival and silence. It's time for us to put mental health at the forefront of our priorities and recognize that investing in counselors and clinicians is not just a moral imperative but a matter of life and death.
The crisis of youth suicide is real and devastating, with men and boys making up nearly 80% of suicides in the US. LGBTQ youth are particularly at risk, with nearly 39% seriously considering suicide in the past year and 12% attempting it. Young people rely most heavily on school-based support, so removing counselors and clinicians would have disastrous consequences.
The issue is not just about removing "excess" staff but about addressing the root causes of violence and pain. We often frame what we call "school safety" as a solution, when in reality, it's often a reflection of untreated pain. Boys are socialized to swallow their emotions and then act out, while girls are taught to express themselves. This toxic dynamic is rarely acknowledged.
The author's work with a countywide stigma reduction campaign has given him insight into the issue. He notes that young people, particularly those from marginalized communities, need to see themselves reflected in messages of hope and resilience. The movement "Break the Stigma Not the Vibe" is a testament to this, with its billboards, bus ads, and schoolwide messaging designed by youth ambassadors who have been through similar struggles.
But what happens when we try to balance our budget on the back of vulnerable students? Removing mental health professionals would be catastrophic. School counselors and clinicians are not extras; they are core safety infrastructure. They notice when a student stops being themselves, when grades slip, or when friendships change.
We need to treat mental health as a priority, not an afterthought. California has invested heavily in youth behavioral health, but if that investment means eliminating the positions that translate those dollars into daily support, it's a false economy.
The choice is clear: do we continue to cut lifelines and hope for the best, or do we decide that in a youth suicide crisis, removing the people who keep kids alive is not an option? The author has lost loved ones to suicide and knows the difference between survival and silence. It's time for us to put mental health at the forefront of our priorities and recognize that investing in counselors and clinicians is not just a moral imperative but a matter of life and death.
. We need to support these school counselors & clinicians more! Removing them would be like cutting off oxygen for kids who are struggling 
. It's all about finding ways to help them open up & feel safe again 
. We gotta treat mental health as a priority, not just a side issue 
. Kids need people who care, like these counselors & clinicians 
. They're our lifeline in times of crisis 
!
I feel like we've learned so little from our past struggles with mental health... Remember when MTV had "The Real World" back in the day? It was all about teenagers being real and raw, but now that's all history. The world has moved on to more serious stuff, but we still need these resources to help our kids through the tough times. We can't just cut corners anymore, you feel? 
! California's schools are like, totally not equipped to deal with the mental health crisis 
. Removing all counselors and clinicians would be like, super bad 
. We need those people to catch when a kid is struggling 
. It's not that simple 
. Mental health is like, a fundamental human right 
. We need to prioritize it, not cut corners 
Those are like, exactly what we need more of 
! But instead of that, let's focus on giving actual support to our kids 
.
. This is not a crisis management situation; it's like, basic human compassion 
. Mental health should be our top priority, not something to cut from our school budgets 
. We can't even cut funding for these vital mental health professionals without considering the devastating consequences on our youth. It's like we're choosing to ignore the fact that they're already struggling to cope with their emotions, social pressures, and trauma 
. We need to create spaces where young people feel seen, heard, and supported – not just by adults, but by each other too 
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. They're not just extras; they're our lifeline 
. We can't afford to lose them. It's time for us to prioritize mental health as an investment in our future, not an afterthought 
.
It's like, we gotta learn from their losses and do better. We can't just sit back and hope for the best; we gotta take action. We gotta make mental health a priority, no matter what. 
like, shouldn't we be addressing why some boys feel like they have to suppress their emotions all the time? 
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Schools need more support not less, especially for LGBTQ youth who are already at a higher risk. It's all about treating mental health like it's a priority, you know? 
We should be focusing on helping those kids survive, not just trying to balance budgets.
?
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The thought of cutting counselors and clinicians from schools is just heartbreaking, we gotta think about the impact on young lives. Schools are supposed to be safe spaces for kids, not places where they're forced to suffer in silence. We need to prioritize mental health and invest in people who can make a real difference. Can't put a price on their lives 
, if we cut these positions it's like we're putting a price on their lives 
cuz they're the ones who can spot warning signs & help kids in crisis 
... wait, no, I mean I don't think cutting counselors is a good idea at all 
... like, girls are actually socialized to be more emotional, so it's weird that guys get a free pass to act out 
... Ugh, this is all so frustrating 
...
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