School nurses do a lot more than dispense medication and take temperatures these days, which is why the state Legislature four years ago passed a bill raising their education requirement from a two-year to a four-year degree.

Whether that decision was a good move in the interest of student well-being or an unnecessary and unfunded mandate on school districts has been debated every year since the new requirements were signed into law by Gov. Maggie Hassan in 2016.

As an educator, counselor, mother, and citizen, I have experienced over and over again just how difficult it is for children in crisis to receive the support they need in a timely and humane way. When a child shares suicidal thoughts with me, my best response (as things are now) is to notify a parent (who may or may not take action to seek help for their child.)

The ongoing mental health, substance misuse, and child protection crises have taken a significant toll on New Hampshire's children and families, impacting all child-serving systems and placing increased pressure on the children's behavioral health system. These crises are disrupting children's stability and upending their lives, however resources are limited for voluntary and preventative services and the systems set up to support children remain underfunded and uncoordinated. It is our obligation to address these problems head on.