Jennifer Leeper

Happy Monday! Below, please find information on upcoming events in Fairfield, updates on my work at the Capitol, and more. For your convenience, here are some helpful links to all the information included in this email:

• Indoor Air Quality Funding
• Wakeman Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year
• Mental Health Awareness Month
• Fairfield CARES Annual Community Event
• Band Together Mental Health Awareness Fair

None of this could have been possible without the commitment to improving our air quality by the Board of Education five years ago and their persistence in that goal. Thank you again Governor Ned Lamont for allocating hundreds of millions of dollars to this initiative across the state to ensure that one day every student and every school employee learns and works in a safe and health environment

These two young women exemplify what it means to be a role model for their peers. Megan, a senior at Fairfield Ludlowe High School, has excelled across the board - academically, as the captain of bother her field hockey and lacrosse teams, and as a volunteer mentor for peers with special needs. She has also been an active member of the Torch and Keystone Clubs at WBGC, leading several committees and serving as a delegate at conferences.

Kate, a senior at Hopkins School, has emerged as a leader of the Keystone Club, serving as secretary and then Co-President, and overseeing the planning and execution of evening activities at the National Keystone Conference.

Congratulations to all of the finalists - I'm so excited to see what your bright futures hold for you.

If you or someone you know is mentally struggling, please know that you are not alone and no-cost help is available by phone, when and if it's needed.

• Maternal Mental Health Hotline - 1-833-943-5746
• Native Crisis Text Line (American Indians and Alaska Natives) - Text "Native" to 741741
• LGBTQI+ Youth Support - 9-8-8, then press 3 when prompted
• Specialized Crisis Support for Spanish Speakers - 9-8-8, then press 2 when prompted
• You can also call 2-1-1 for assistance

• Expand 24/7 emergency mental health response and create walk-ins for mental health emergencies
• Address shortages of mental health staff in our schools by offering grants to local schools to hire social workers, counselors, and psychologists
• Provide mental health training to parents, students, and pediatricians
• Expand school-based health centers to develop mental health programming
• Create a state oversight and coordination of a state response to kids' mental health needs

It is more important than ever that we continued to invest in mental health. As state legislatures across the country cut funding for these vital services, in Connecticut, we chose to make critical investments in mental health for our state’s future.

The free event should be an insightful and inviting discussion on mental health for children and young adults. You can register here.