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The last year has been one marked by collective trauma. Covid-19 brought on a wave of loss, anxiety, stress, fear, economic instability and isolation across the country, creating, within the pandemic, a mental health crisis. Images of Black people shot and killed by police, mass protests, the shock of the Capitol riot and the opening up of the deep, systemic wounds of racism have brought on another level of trauma. Through it all, Black therapists, who are disproportionately underrepresented in their field, have been in high demand. (Gaines, 5/27)

A children’s hospital in Colorado has declared “a pediatric mental health state of emergency” after an unprecedented number of children 8 and older have reported needing immediate treatment, mostly for suicidal thoughts and attempts. Children’s Hospital Colorado CEO Jena Hausmann said the facility is overrun with “kids attempting suicide and suffering from other forms of major mental health illness.” Hausmann issued a call to action on Tuesday to Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, state lawmakers and agencies to prioritize mental health services for children, release more funding for suicide prevention, recruit more providers and reduce bureaucracy in enabling children to access services, The Gazette reported. (5/27)

Montgomery County leaders are taking steps to add mental health to the list of valid reasons to be absent from school, saying that the move is especially important after the inordinate toll of the pandemic. The change would begin in the fall, when students in Montgomery County are expected to return to full-day in-person classes five days a week. A majority of students in the state’s largest school system have been learning virtually during the past 14 months. “Student mental health has been a challenge this year, through the pandemic, and we believe it is a wise decision,” Patricia O’Neill, a school board member, said as she introduced the change at a meeting Tuesday. (St. George, 5/27)