As Lana Cohen writes in her recent article, (“Maine students are missing more school days than before the pandemic,” Nov. 24), the rise in chronic absenteeism among Maine students underscores the profound impact of the youth mental health crisis and demands that school districts prioritize mental health support for students. Hedy Chang rightly emphasizes that restoring school communities goes beyond providing mental health resources; fostering peer-to-peer connections between students is critical.

In the face of strained resources, community-based, student-led initiatives offer a cost-effective and high-impact way to proactively support the mental health of our youth. Active Minds is a nonprofit organization focused on mobilizing youth and young adults to change the culture around mental health. With student-led chapters in high schools and colleges across the state, and clubs in middle schools, we’ve seen the transformative power of student-driven conversations around mental health, according to an analysis by the Rand Corp. Young people are adept at fostering a supportive school climate – building “connectedness” among the community – where youth and young adults feel encouraged to openly discuss mental health regularly, and seek help when they need it.

Maine schools can cultivate stronger, healthier communities by supporting programs that equip students to lead these conversations and providing safe spaces for dialogue. As we continue to navigate the aftermath of the pandemic, investing in both mental health resources and student-led programs becomes imperative for the well-being and success of Maine’s youth.

Alison Malmon
Founder/executive director, Active Minds
Washington, D.C.

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