Michelle Bowman: “I thank Rashida for her voice. It is good to see her and be with her. Tonight, we have heard from Members who represent…”

“I thank Rashida for her voice. It is good to see her and be with her. Tonight, we have heard from Members who represent communities across the country. The youth mental health crisis is a national crisis that requires an all-of-government response. Our children deserve nothing less. There were so many voices that contributed to these remarks this evening from my district, New York-16. I recognize them at this moment. Making the necessary investments in our youth mental health will take all of us at every level of government and in every community. I give a special shout-out to constituents of mine who shared their priorities around youth mental health. Jonathan Lewis, a Scarsdale Village trustee, shared how important it is to understand the relationship between a mental health crisis and learned outcomes to our students, not just in an academic sense but also with respect to school climate and the importance of creating a learning environment that is safe from violence. Stephanie Marquesano from the harris project in Ardsley highlighted how important it is that communities, youth, and all levels of government be in dialogue with each other about the intersection of mental health and substance use disorders, particularly as it relates to our youth.…”