The president-elect of the Minnesota School Counselor Association says Minnesota needs to do better when providing mental health resources to students across the state.
Kelsey MacQueen, a counselor at Central Middle School in Eden Prairie, joined WCCO Radio's Vineeta Sawkar on Tuesday morning to discuss National Coming Out Day, a day where some LGBTQ+ people choose to share their sexual orientation with their family and friends.
"Now more than ever we need more mental health support in schools so that it can start with our youth. They are our future," MacQueen told Sawkar.
According to MacQueen, Minnesota hast the fourth-worst student to school counselor ration in the United States.
The recommendation is 250 to 1. Minnesota is at 592 to 1.
"We need more mental health support in our schools to support our students."
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MacQueen added that middle schools is a pivotal time for many students and schools should have the ability to meet them at such an important time.
"The biggest thing is just having those safe spaces and those safe adults," MacQueen said. "Suicide rates in the LGBTQ+ community are much higher than other youth. Those rates decrease by 40 percent by just having one supportive adult in their life."
MacQueen said schools and people can show their support by displaying Pride stickers, safe space signs, and listing their preferred pronouns.
"As a school counselor our job is to guide students through the conversation," MacQueen added. "Some are ready to come out to friends, family, and their community. Others are not and that's kind of the process we walk them through, provide that safe space to have those conversations, and offer to support those conversations when they are officially ready to come out to their loved ones."