By Staff Reports / Photos: Susan Fried

Yesterday, Seattle City Councilmember Tammy Morales sat down with Shae Huppert, the ASB President at Garfield High School, and Ryan Croone, a Youth Community Advocate, both of who are members of the Creative Justice Youth Consortium, to discuss mental health funding and youth involvement in Seattle.

In the discussion, Morales addressed concerns about reducing mental health funding for students. Originally approved at $20 million, the council voted to reduce the amount to just over $12 million. Morales explained the delay in receiving a spending plan from the mayor's office as a key factor in this decision.

Morales emphasized the pressing need for mental health services, particularly in the wake of the pandemic and increased gun violence in schools. She highlighted the importance of expanding existing contracts with organizations providing restorative justice programs and school-based health clinics.

"We know that there's a lot of need," Morales said. "We've been hearing from students across the city for several years now about the...great need that students have, dealing with anxiety, dealing with coming back into school."

While acknowledging the challenges, Morales expressed optimism about future funding discussions, emphasizing the council's commitment to addressing student mental health needs. She also highlighted the importance of advocating for increased funding at the state level.

The interview also touched on the significance of youth involvement in city decisions. Morales acknowledged the need for more accessible platforms for young people to voice their concerns and ideas. She shared her experience organizing an event called "Build the City," which aimed to engage youth in discussions about urban planning.

"I really want to hear from young people about what they want to see, what their vision is for the city," Morales stated.

Morales expressed her commitment to exploring innovative ways to include youth in the budget process, suggesting the possibility of holding meetings in community settings outside of regular business hours.

Ryan Croone expressed his desire for more engaging and accessible ways for youth to be involved in city decisions. "What do you think would be a good way to incorporate them into the conversation? But that's not so normal. Not just like a meeting, or like public speaking, or something like that," he asked.

The conversation also addressed safety concerns at Garfield High School. Morales acknowledged the limitations of focusing solely on physical safety, emphasizing the importance of emotional and social well-being for students.

Shae Huppert shared her experience participating in a meeting with the mayor's office about safety at Garfield High School. "I left the meeting feeling like it was more of an interview than a conversation," she said. "One thing that is very important to us is that we feel safe at school, emotionally and mentally as well as physically."

Morales highlighted the role of the city council in supporting programs that provide mentorship, conflict resolution skills, and social-emotional learning opportunities. She also stressed the need for collaboration with the school district to ensure consistent support throughout a student's academic journey.

Councilmember Tammy Morales' interview with Shae Huppert and Ryan Croone shed light on the complexities of mental health funding, youth involvement, and safety in Seattle schools.