Our schools are in a mental health crisis. Here’s what we need to bring it to an end | Opinion

Add mental health care in schools

As a mother and a nurse, I am writing this letter with a heavy heart regarding the mental health crisis that is affecting the youth in our community. According to the Benton-Franklin County Community Health Needs Assessment (2022), 48.6% of 12th graders reported feeling sad or hopeless every day for two weeks or more, and among them, 21.3% reported having seriously contemplated suicide within the past year.

We are in a mental health crisis as a community, and our children are suffering. Most families are unable to provide the much-needed mental health assistance to their children.

The alternative is to provide mental health screening and assistance in schools starting in elementary school. Unfortunately, the lack of mental health assistance in schools is affecting our future generation.

The current mental health program is a big failure. We need to employ at least one licensed mental health provider per school to comply with CDC recommendations, which call for one counselor per 250 students and or one psychologist per 500 students. The only way to accomplish this is to demand better funding and a structural and transparent plan that meets proper standards from our legislators.

Lakmini De Silva, Pasco

Tri-Citian of the Year observes 52nd

The Tri-Cities celebrated its 52nd Tri-Citian of the Year event on April 25 by honoring a well-known community member, Sharon Grant. Known for her advocacy and passion for creating the Badger Mountain Centennial Preserve, Sharon pushed local government officials to embrace a vision of a connected trail system across our area’s ridges.

Nowadays, it is hard to imagine the Tri-Cities without this asset! Like many predecessors before her, Grant joins the league of community-minded individuals who have improved the quality of life for all Tri-Citians.

This event would not be possible without the enduring support of local businesses, Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs in our region. Businesses such as Stevens Center Management, Retter & Company Sotheby’s International Realty and HAPO have contributed thousands of dollars over the years to bring this event to the community and they are to be thanked and congratulated.

Their leadership in providing funding makes it possible to honor and celebrate the sweat equity, passion and commitment in making our community a better place to live work and play.

Thank you sponsors, Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs for preserving the value of “service above self” as a trait worth supporting.

Carol Moser, Richland

Middle-of-the-roaders are a dying breed

I’m a dying breed, a political middle-of-the-roader who:

• Votes for the best person regardless of party.
• Has liberal and conservative views and friends.
• Has strong beliefs but can be wrong.
• Believes name-calling is childish, lying shows lack of honor and trustworthiness, compromise is sometimes necessary and America fails without a common sense of fairness.

Then there are the “political bigots” on all political sides who:

• Are utterly intolerant of, and even hate, people with different political beliefs
• See America as simply “Us (right/good) vs Them (wrong/bad).”
• Look for “reasons” to assume the worst, ridicule and bully their political enemies, even making death threats.
• Are ignorant because they only listen to what they want to hear.
• Are arrogant because they think they already know the “Whole Truth.”
• Are convinced of their righteous patriotism, claiming they are saving America from dangerous fools and traitors.
• Point at questionable behavior and extremism on “the other side” and stereotype everyone as “all the same” and beyond hope.

Are political bigots so different from racial bigots or religious bigots? Do you know any political bigots, or anyone becoming one?

Michael Dinius, Richland