ACSA Vice President Erin Simon appeared during a joint hearing of Senate Budget Subcommittee #1 and Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on May 13. Simon, who is assistant superintendent of School Support Services at Long Beach Unified School District, advocated for the state to provide ongoing funding to support school-based mental health services for students and staff. “Mental health is the great equalizer as it can provide support for all students; no matter their ZIP code or social status,” Simon said. “We’ve prioritized the academic needs of students for centuries — mental health and social-emotional learning must be prioritized as well.”