In honor of mental health awareness month, Pennsylvania Governor
Josh Shapiro joined Audacy’s The Bubba Show Friday to talk about his administration’s recent $100 million investment into mental health and more.
“Look, this is a real passion of mine, and we’ve got real data in Pennsylvania that backs up the need to make this investment,” the governor said.
According to a May 1 press release, his administration secured $100 million for student mental health services in K-12 schools at a time where districts across the U.S. are struggling to find and keep staff. Another $20 million was secured for county mental health support in the state’s 2024-25 budget, as well as other funding for mental health services.
“Prolonged exposure to adversity, stress, and trauma – particularly in early childhood – can cause lasting harm and contribute to some of the most pressing social and health challenges,” said the press release. Many children in school today are still dealing with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy announced a youth mental health epidemic in the nation.
For Shapiro, the need for mental health funding in schools became even more clear with the establishment of the Safe2Say Something program intended to prevent gun violence in schools.
“It turns out, over 100,000 students provided tips,” he said. “But, it was less – thank God – about bringing a gun to school and more about their own mental health.”
He said that students making requests for more counselors, revealing that their friends were considering suicide and more. When Shapiro also visited his goal to help young Pennsylvanians with mental health grew stronger. “Students are telling us what they need,” he told The Bubba Show.
With the state funding, schools will now be able to hire counselors and have more resources available for students. “I want to be clear, this is a serious crisis,” said Shapiro. He also said: “This is only a beginning.”
Going forward, the governor hopes to reduce the stigma around mental health for everyone, including mothers dealing with postpartum depression and other adults facing mental health challenges. He wants mental health services to be covered by insurance, too.
“I’m willing to bet every single person listening to your show – who by the way would like me to stop talking and would like to hear Taylor Swift a little bit – every single person listening to your show has dealt with their own crisis, or knows someone or has a loved one who has dealt with it. And, it’s time we stopped ignoring this.”
Audacy's I’m Listening initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources here.