State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Launches Plan to Recruit 10,000 Mental Health Clinicians to Support California Students
“State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today announced a plan to recruit 10,000 new clinicians to provide for the mental health needs of California students. The plan centers on offering scholarships to encourage candidates to pursue careers in the mental health profession and serve in high-need schools and communities.”
“Superintendent Thurmond will sponsor legislation that calls on the California Legislature and the Governor to invest up to $25,000 per applicant in scholarships for future clinicians. Even before the pandemic, California was experiencing a shortage of mental health counselors to serve California students, especially in rural areas that often have barriers to health care access. The need for these clinicians has grown with the rise in depression among children in the U.S. in the pandemic period. Additionally, student mental health problems and conditions, including depression, anxiety, and general distress, are increasing as natural disasters such as wildfires and floods affect more California communities and schools each year.”