FARMINGTON, CT — As Mental Health Awareness Month continues, state leaders and public health officials were listening Monday as students shared their own experiences combatting the multitude of pressures and expectations that weigh on them and their mental health.
Students and teachers welcomed Comptroller Sean Scanlon, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-CT, Rep. Mike Demicco, D-Farmington and several public health officials to Farmington High School for a roundtable discussion on youth mental health in the state.
The talk comes in the wake of an announcement by the Trump administration that it would cut $1 billion in school mental health grants.
According to a report issued by the Office of the Child Advocate, suicide has become the second leading cause of preventable death in children over the age of 10. At least 15 children a day seek help from emergency rooms for suicidal thoughts or attempts, according to the report.
“I’m a dad. I’m the only statewide elected official to have young kids,” Scanlon said. “And my wife and I are increasingly terrified about what the world is going to look like when our young kids reach the age that you guys are at, and begin to experience some of the things that you’re experiencing.”
While concerns about youth mental health might seemingly fall outside the purview of his office, Scanlon said that in addition to being the state’s chief financial officer, his office also runs the largest health care plan in the state. About 250,000 people get their insurance through the state marketplace.
Scanlon shared the story of his father, a Marine, Vietnam veteran and police officer whom he said “struggled mightily” with mental health issues due to the trauma he faced. Without access to proper healthcare, Scanlon said, he self-medicated through alcohol abuse. He died 20 years ago.
“And so I feel like we all have an obligation,” Scanlon said. “As we learn more about the brain, as we learn more about what we need to do for people, to give voice to that. We’re breaking that stigma down. And that’s great.”
Vicki Wegang, a senior at Farmington High School, talks about mental health during a discussion with elected officials on May 5, 2025. Credit: Jamil Ragland / CTNewsJunkie
After Sabrina Trocchi, President and CEO of Wheeler Clinic spoke about the mental health services that her organization provides, Vicki Wegang, a senior at Farmington High School pointed out that one of the issues for young people was that they have no knowledge about those kinds of outreach efforts.
“I feel like that program is awesome,” she said. “And I think that we all need to hear that. But we don’t know that. I didn’t know that your organization was a thing.”
Mental health is a buzzword, Wegang said, but students are frequently not aware of the resources available to them.
“We don’t know about the outside resources we have,” she said. “My school counselor is a nurse primarily. And I would go to her if I ever needed anything regarding not just mental health as well, like if I was struggling.”
Luke Wagner, also a senior, suggested that part of the issue for young people is that they lack a deeper sense of meaning and connection, which can lead to hours of “doomscrolling” on cell phones. But he also said that young people are coming together to build supportive communities themselves.
“I have a group where a couple of us go to church every Sunday, and then afterwards, we have breakfast,” he said. “We always talk face to face, no phone, and it’s one of my highlights of the week, because it’s a lot of interaction, and it’s a good experience.”
Wagner said the weekly gatherings are helpful and the group looks forward to seeing each other.
“It’s just nice to have people that you know have your back,” he said.
The centrality of cellphones to the mental health struggles of teenagers was a consistent theme throughout the conversation. Sree Bala, another senior, said the high school’s no cellphones in class policy has been a “game changer” for how students relate to each other.
“Once you’re in a classroom, you’re only focused on one thing,” she said. “You’re not worried about someone posting a video about you. Focusing on the current moment is such an important thing, and I think for teachers as well, it’s really helpful when the policy doesn’t have to come from them, that it’s more of an administration thing.”
Blumenthal told the students their openness in discussing their mental health challenges was something people didn’t talk about when he was younger.
“None of us goes through life without having some physical issue, whether it’s a broken leg or a heart problem or something worse or something minor,” he said. “But we all have health issues, and the same is true of mental health.”
Talking openly about the issue is an important step forward, Blumenthal said.
“Now we need to match your consciousness with hope, professional hope,” he said. “Maybe not for all of you because obviously you’re all doing well and you’re not just coping, but thriving. But many of your peers may not be quite as fine.”
Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts can call the Infoline at 2-1-1, call or text the US Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 9-8-8, or call or text 911. Other resources can be found here.