Judy Chu: “Last month, Galway Central School District in New York considered outsourcing the roles of their school psychologist and…”

“Last month, Galway Central School District in New York considered outsourcing the roles of their school psychologist and social worker. After all, budgets are tight, and what harm could come from this? Andrew Huzsar, the district psychologist, and Christine Bornt, the school social worker, had already faced an uphill battle helping their students. Although the district has only 900 children in attendance, Galway is geographically one of the largest school districts in New York State. And as the only school psychologist and social worker, Andrew and Christine struggled to meet the needs of their students, facing more than double the recommended ratio of students to mental health professionals across the district. An onslaught of letters and testimony soon flooded the Board of Education, as students, parents, and teachers, alike, protested on Andrew and Christine's behalf. The board soon relented to the public outrage, perhaps thanks to a very moving letter of support that Andrew received. This letter was from a young student explaining that he would not be alive today if it had not been for Andrew intervening in his life. This student was not someone Andrew saw regularly. They met only three times the previous school year. Mental health counseling is a critical component for student success. Just three meetings were enough to save this student's life.…”