Rep. Dolan Urges Legislature to Fully Fund School Safety and Mental Health Supports
WHO: Students, superintendents and system leaders from across the state.
WHAT: A news conference calling for state lawmakers to fully fund House Bill 1216, which puts resources and training in place to prevent and intervene in mental health, behavioral health, gun violence, or suicide crises. Without additional action from the legislature, students will go without the mental and behavioral supports they need to succeed academically in a safe environment.
Speakers at the press conference include:
- Kevin Alfano, Fife School District superintendent;
- Washington State Representative Laurie Dolan (D-22)
- Brook Mittelstaedt, Columbia Jr. HS 9th grader, ASB President
- John Welch, Superintendent, Puget Sound Educational Service District
Reporters will have access to Columbia Jr. High School classrooms for photos, standups and shooting B-Roll post-press conference. In addition, legislators and superintendents of the PSESD and Fife School District will be available after the event to talk with reporters.
WHEN: Monday, September 23 at 10 a.m.
WHERE: Columbia Jr. High School, 2901 54th Ave E, Fife, WA 98424, in Library.
WHY: Students need to be safe in schools, and they need to feel safe in schools. As the gun violence and suicide public health crises continues in America and our schools, lawmakers in Olympia are working to improve upon legislation passed in 2019 by funding two additional staff persons in each Educational Service District—one to provide behavioral health and mental health support, and a second for safety coordination. These positions work in tandem to provide training and support to prevent and respond to school crises. The 2019 legislation focused on improving student behavioral and mental health, reducing gun violence, preventing suicide and investing in additional school safety supports, and the 2019-21 biennial operating budget signed into law funded one FTE per Educational Service District.