Pennsylvania General Assembly Announces $3M Mental Health Pilot
(Forty Fort, Pennsylvania) --- Pennsylvania General Assembly members from both chambers and both parties today heralded the introduction of a mental health pilot program for public schools across the commonwealth.
The web based counseling program by Kooth US was awarded a grant through the Department of Human Services that enables school districts to opt into the services without cost to students, parents or the district. The grant was funded in the FY 2022-23 state budget in acknowledgement of the mental health crisis currently being faced by young people.
According to CDC data:
Of American youths aged 12-17, 1 in 3 have persistent feelings of sadness
4 in 10 have issues that are going untreated
and 1 in 6 have made a suicide plan.
“We are keenly aware of the need for additional mental health programs and resources across our communities, but especially in our schools,” said Senator Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne). “The disruptive impact of the pandemic exacerbated the fears and concerns felt by children. Although we have made notable progress on increasing the state's commitment toward accessible mental health services, much remains to be done. This pilot project has the potential to fill some crucial gaps. I am pleased to see that several school districts in northeastern Pennsylvania will be participating. Our constituents will be encouraged to see constructive action on problem- solving that has bipartisan support.”
Kooth has already been introduced to four districts in the Commonwealth, with more to soon follow. Districts currently enrolled in the service include:
Wyoming Area
Scranton
Oswayo Valley
Wyoming Valley West
“Every child who calls this commonwealth home deserves the mental healthcare they need to rebound from the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and enjoy a beautiful, happy life here,” said Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny). “I’m proud of the work the Democratic caucus has done to deliver mental health funding to our public schools, and I’m proud today to support the implementation of Kooth US to continue this vital work. As our young people seek healing and support from two years of massive disruptions and social upheaval, I am glad services like Kooth exist to supply trained mental health resources to our students.”
"House Republicans made it a priority in this year's budget to fund mental health programs for students across the state. We believe that this pilot creates additional access for students statewide to access mental health services,” said House Speaker Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster). “Students should never suffer from treatable or preventable challenges because of a lack of resources. We applaud private sector efforts like this to create platforms that have the potential to save lives."
School districts that would like to opt in to Kooth’s program can go to https://us.kooth.com/ for more information.
Media Enquiries
Contact Brittany Crampsie
(717) 712-3840
About Kooth: Kooth is a leading digital mental health platform. Our mission is to provide accessible and safe spaces for everyone to achieve better mental health. Our platform is clinically robust and accredited to provide a range of therapeutic support and interventions. All our services are predicated on easy access to make early intervention and prevention a reality.