Saying, “I believe every high school student, regardless of their income level, should have access to mental health services at their high school,” David DeFronzo, who is running for state representative in the open 26th Assembly District, is pressing for more funding for staffing and other resources for mental health services in high schools in Connecticut.
The additional resources needed for large high schools, like New Britain High School, “may cost money in the short term but long term,” said DeFronzo, but “it will save a significant amount because it will reduce the rate of students who dropout of school, are arrested for mental health related issues or in the worst case scenario, harm themselves or others.”
Noting that, “Center for Disease Control (CDC) reporting that as many as four in ten high school aged children experience some form of mental health problem,” DeFronzo said that, “it is clear that we, as a state, need to invest more in addressing this growing epidemic.”
“We are at the beginning of a crisis. Starting during the pandemic, we’ve seen an enormous increase in mental health problems in young people,” DeFronzo said. His campaign added that, “Studies show that the most prevalent conditions affecting high school students are anxiety, emotional disorders and stress. Unless addressed, these conditions can develop into serious and potentially self-destructive behavior.”
DeFronzo said we must, “bridge the gap between need and utilization by making services more directly available to students, particularly to disadvantaged students, who would not normally have access to this type of care.”
“In Connecticut, and around the nation, school-based responses to the mental health crisis has been limited by staff shortages and inadequate funding,” DeFronzo’s campaign said. “Schools alone cannot eliminate the problem, but they are strategically positioned to provide greater access to mental health services for young adults.”
“As a public-school teacher for 20 years,” said DeFronzo, “I know the important role school social workers, school psychologists and behavior intervention specialists play in the lives of young people. The state needs to do more to ensure school districts have the funding to fully staff these positions.”
DeFronzo highlighted a public-private partnership model in Meriden, in which his campaign said, “private mental health services are invited into schools to supplement the work done by school personnel. This type of relationship allows for additional services to be provided without additional costs to schools while providing parents with on-site resources they may need as a result of PPT meetings or other intervention strategies.”
DeFronzo also cited a longstanding problem of different treatment in health coverage for mental health services, something advocates have long sought to address under the banner of, “mental health parity.” His campaign noted that, “reimbursement rates for behavioral health providers are 42% less than for other doctors.”
“We need an all of the above approach to address this problem,” said DeFronzo. “I support the continued effort to achieve parity for behavioral support services in Connecticut. We must increase access to outpatient providers and make sure that Connecticut behavioral health providers are reimbursed at a higher rate.”
“I’m proud to be the only person in this race talking about this issue and more importantly, the only candidate who has a plan to try and get people the help they need,” said DeFronzo.
“I am not naive, this is a major challenge,” said DeFronzo, “and it won’t be easy to achieve, but the mental health crisis among young adults, as I have observed as a teacher, is a serious problem that can’t be ignored. State action can help save lives.”
DeFronzo, a former City Council member, is the endorsed Democratic candidate for the 26th Assembly District in an election for the seat, that is open this year after Rep. Peter Tercyak (D-26) announced his retirement, after serving the district for 21 years.
Another Democratic former Council member, Aram Ayalon, is challenging DeFronzo for the Democratic nomination for State Representative. Ayalon, who also served on the Board of Education, and DeFronzo, are competing in an August 13th primary, when Democratic registered voters will determine their party’s nominee.
In addition to DeFronzo and Ayalon, Republican Board of Education member Barbara Marino (R) is seeking the seat.
Editor’s note: Cover photo courtesy of the Dave DeFronzo campaign, by Katrina Hajagos.
