An overwhelming majority of schools in the U.S. lack nurses and counselors to help students in need, per a 2019 ACLU report from Education Department data on every school district.
Why it matters: Children are reporting just as much stress as adults, with one in three reporting that they are feeling depressed.
- Students are 21 times more likely to visit school-based health centers for mental health than community mental health centers.
- Especially in low-income districts where resources are scarce, these mental health providers at schools can be a district's first line of defense.
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