Mental health services must be sustained in Newtown, Conn., so that people can continue the long, hard work of reclaiming their lives, a group of teachers who worked at Sandy Hook Elementary told AFT national, state and local leaders just days before the anniversary of the Dec. 14, 2012, shooting that killed 20 children and six educators at the school.
AFT President Randi Weingarten, Newtown Federation of Teachers President Tom Kuroski and AFT Connecticut First Vice President Steve McKeever (shown at a press conference) met privately on Dec. 2 with several educators who had worked at the school during the shooting, and the union leaders said that sustained public funding will be needed to help those who will require years to deal with the tragedy. "We need to make sure that students, their families and teachers have the supports they need on a long-term basis to ensure that they can lead productive lives," Weingarten told the Associated Press after the meeting, and she promised committed AFT lobbying at the federal level for mental health funding for the community.
Newtown received millions in federal funding to provide mental health services for those affected by the tragedy; but much of that assistance came through a grant that funds counseling for students and staff directly impacted by the shooting; that grant is set to expire in 2016. Kuroski said the grant helps pay for both in-school and out-of-school services that regular health insurance doesn't cover, and the services offer benefits that extend broadly across the community. In announcing that grant, the Education Department said that severe post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression and grief continue to affect student performance in and out of the classroom, and a belief that school is unsafe still "pervades" the district.
Along with federal support, Weingarten said that all levels of the union will work to help revive proposed state legislation to guarantee workers' compensation coverage for mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress. "Post-traumatic stress disorder isn't like a broken arm," she stressed. "You can't see it or fix it with a cast, but it can be totally debilitating."
After the meeting with teachers, Weingarten attended a meeting of the Newtown school board and presented the community with a tribute to the six educators. It featured a collage from mementos that were included in the dedication of the Memorial to Fallen Educators. Kuroski spoke at that event, held last August at the National Teachers Hall of Fame in Kansas.
- See more at: http://www.aft.org/news/two-years-after-tragedy-newtown-still-needs-hel…
