The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

Closing schools is essential. But students must be able to access mental health services.

Growing up in an impoverished community, free counseling was necessary for me

Perspective by
Lily contributor
August 2, 2020 at 10:08 a.m. EDT
(Sage Coffey)

When I was a kid, I was lucky enough to take advantage of the free counseling offered at my school. Having grown up in an impoverished community, the service was necessary to help me process the traumas that come with being poor. With many schools remaining closed due to covid-19, access to counseling and therapy is contingent on financial privilege; not everyone can afford therapy, let alone Internet access for online mental health services. Poor kids need a space to process their feelings, and that space shouldn’t be “pay-to-enter.”