ALABAMA (WRBL) - Turning now to Alabama, state officials are considering a plan to improve student mental health services.
Last school year, 114 out of 138 Alabama school districts had a mental health services coordinator.
The coordinators don't conduct therapy or provide services themselves, but instead connect students with the needed resources.
State Superintendent Eric Mackey said he wants to see the number of coordinators grow, adding that one coordinator might not be enough for the largest districts.
"So we'll be going back to the legislature this year, I feel certain in asking for additional increases in that," said Mackey.
The state-funded program began in 2020, but has grown as an increasing number of students reported they were struggling to bounce back from the pandemic.
In 2021, the CDC reported that more than a third of high school students experienced poor mental health during the pandemic.
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