Parents say kids lack mental health services in Monroe County schools

by Noelle E. C. Evans

The Children’s Agenda is calling for robust solutions to what they say is a mental health crisis among children and teens – including improving access to care in schools.

The organization recently polled 600 parents and found that their top concerns included a lack of school-based services that address students’ social, health, and disability needs.

Half of the city of Rochester parents surveyed, said they do not feel listened to by school administrators, compared to 31% of the suburban parents polled.

Parent Tianna Johnson said even though her son has Asperger’s syndrome, he didn’t get a diagnosis until he was in 9th grade. By then, in many ways, it was too late, she added.

“He kind of slipped through the cracks,” Johnson said. “So, when COVID hit, it just kind of broke a lot of things down. We couldn’t get mental health support. He was getting counseling in school but couldn’t get that anymore because school had closed. And then out in the community is those long wait times.”

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