The anxiety young people experience because of climate change is real. 😞 But solutions are in reach that will help them cope. 😊
This week, I joined students from Schools for Climate Action on Capitol Hill to call on Congress to take a critical step forward in creating the infrastructure we need to support youth mental health in a changing climate.
We know that the climate crisis is a mental health crisis, and youth are among the most vulnerable. That’s why we need lawmakers to support House Resolution 975, which centers the voices and needs of the generation that will carry the heaviest weight from the climate crisis. This resolution recommends expanded funding for youth-centered climate education and resilience projects that benefit mental health.
I have worked with parents navigating climate stress and seen the toll that accumulating disasters and extreme weather can take on families. This stress can affect long-term brain development. It can lead to a lifetime managing post-traumatic stress disorder.
I’ve also experienced climate-related stress myself. One of my children takes medication that makes his body more sensitive to heat. During the intense heat waves of the past two summers, we’ve had to stay inside far more often than we wanted to, to keep my child safe.
As a parent, it is heartbreaking to have to choose between your child’s physical safety and the outdoor play that all children need for their mental and emotional health.
House Resolution 975 acknowledges this stress and its particular impact on children and teens. In addition to recommending funding and resources for youth experiencing climate stress, it advocates for incorporating mental health into disaster preparation efforts, reducing the stigma associated with mental health treatment, reducing cost and increasing access for mental health treatment, and more.
I was so proud to visit the halls of Congress this week with the young people who co-wrote this resolution. Their leadership and courage in a time of intersecting crises was inspiring.
We parents support these brave students—and all the young people who are feeling the impacts of climate change—every step of the way.
Join me in calling on members of Congress to support House Resolution 975—to protect our children’s mental health.