Shaheen Meets With Bedford Students About Youth Mental Health

BEDFORD – On Monday, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) visited Bedford High School and met with students to discuss the ongoing youth mental health crisis, hear about their personal experiences and speak about what should be done to address this crisis.

“Today’s students face unprecedented challenges, and the youth mental health crisis is one of the most pressing,” said Shaheen. “I was glad to have the opportunity to meet with students and staff at Bedford High School to discuss what can be done to address this issue. The students’ dedication to breaking down stigmas and supporting each other as they work through mental health challenges was inspiring. As a senior appropriator in the Senate, I’ll continue to push for federal investments in programs that provide key support and treatment for anyone in need.”

Senator Shaheen is a leader in the Senate working to bring attention to the mental health crisis. A senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Shaheen worked to secure $111 million for the Department of Education to provide demonstration grants to support school-based mental health personnel and services, and has led and supported numerous pieces of legislation that provide federal resources to support mental health programs for young people.

Earlier in the day, Shaheen delivered remarks at the 2023 Keeping History Above Water Conference in Portsmouth. The conference focuses on the increasing and varied risks posed by rising sea levels to historic coastal communities and their built environments, as well as the steps preservationists, engineers, city planners, legislators, insurers, historic homeowners and other decision-makers can take to protect historic buildings, landscapes and neighborhoods from the increasing threat of inundation.

“Portsmouth knows the harms of climate change all too well—from Superstorm Sandy’s impacts a decade ago, to increasingly high King Tides to groundwater flooding that threatens centuries-old buildings in Strawbery Banke today. This is a story that is playing out in coastal communities around the country,” said Shaheen. “I’m proud to have taken part in enacting two of the most impactful pieces of legislation Congress has ever passed to address climate change: the bipartisan infrastructure law and the Inflation Reduction Act. These laws are investing in the resilience of our coastal communities, rebuilding more sustainable infrastructure and transforming our energy use to combat climate change. I’m excited about the benefits communities in New Hampshire are already seeing, but I’m mindful that there’s still work to be done. ”

Shaheen leads the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that funds NOAA, was a negotiator of the bipartisan infrastructure law and was a steadfast supporter of the Inflation Reduction Act, which included historic investments to address coastal resilience. In the fiscal year 2023 government funding law, she secured $6.35 billion for NOAA, which is an increase of $475 million or 8 percent over last year’s funding level. This includes $761 million for NOAA research, much of which pertains to combating the climate crisis. This funding will help coastal communities in New Hampshire and across the nation bolster their resilience to changing climate, as well as support ocean health and research. Last month, Shaheen announced $5.6 Million in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) grant funding coming to New England to support coastal resiliency projects. Specifically, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services will receive $2,988,122.