COMMITTEE HOSTS YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH, SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, AND TRUANCY TOWN HALL

ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — The Committee on Culture, Youth, Aging, Sports, and Parks, chaired by Senator At-Large Angel L. Bolques Jr., convened a town hall at the University of the Virgin Islands 13D Research and Strategy Innovation Center on St. Thomas to address youth mental health, school attendance, truancy, and absenteeism, while examining resources and support systems available to students and families throughout the Territory.

The town hall brought together senators, invited representatives, stakeholders, and community members for discussions focused on the relationship between youth mental health and educational outcomes and potential strategies to strengthen support for Virgin Islands students. Senator Bolques opened the town hall by outlining its purpose and providing an opportunity for invited representatives and senators to identify concerns surrounding youth mental health, truancy, and absenteeism and discuss possible solutions.

Senator Angel L. Bolques Jr. said, “I want to thank all of the stakeholders who attended, as well as the representatives from Cartwheel who traveled from Arizona and Massachusetts. I especially thank Jim Vandy, Director of Partnerships for Cartwheel, and Dr. Juliana Chen, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Cartwheel, for coming to the Virgin Islands to present Cartwheel’s tele-behavioral health services. This is about helping our youth, their parents, and their families by ensuring they have access to the behavioral health support and resources they need.”

A central component of the program focused on youth mental health and education, including an overview of the mental health challenges affecting young people and their potential impact on educational outcomes. The program also incorporated audience participation, providing community members with an opportunity to identify concerns and discuss how access to mental health support can improve outcomes for students.

The Committee also examined the use of telehealth and telemedicine as tools for expanding access to mental health services for students and families. Representatives of Cartwheel provided information on the organization’s history and model of care, including how its services can work with families, schools, and other stakeholders. Furthermore, the program included video presentations from Boxborough and Achievement First, followed by a presentation illustrating how clinical care can be integrated into the student experience. The agenda also included discussion of chronic absenteeism programming and a demonstration of a portal designed for school staff. Lastly, attention was also given to outreach and support across the Virgin Islands, followed by a question-and-answer session that allowed participants to further examine issues affecting students, families, educators, and other stakeholders.

Senator Carla J. Joseph emphasized the need to identify and coordinate existing resources across the Territory to strengthen support for individuals experiencing mental illness and behavioral health challenges. She stressed the importance of bringing those resources together to provide comprehensive services and called for greater collaboration among agencies, organizations, and community partners rather than operating in silos.

Senators present at the forum: Angel L. Bolques, Jr., Marvin A. Blyden, and Carla J. Joseph.

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