COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio youth, young adults, and politicians voiced their opinions on mental health at the Statehouse on Wednesday.
Advocates argue the House's latest version of the budget took out a large portion of funds that would have gone toward fixing mental health in Ohio. Children expressed their concerns with the budget and mental health in society.
What You Need To Know
- Mental health advocates gathered in the atrium at the Statehouse
- Advocates argue the latest version of the operating budget took out a portion of funds to mental health advocacy.
- Youth shared personal experiences regarding their own mental health
Mariah Ramey is an enrolled high school student in Canton, Ohio. She suffers from severe anxiety and depression, which has caused her overall health to deplete.
“This past year has been a downfall on my mental health,” Ramey said. “I constantly overthink.”
Ramey wants to help get rid of the mental health stigma in society. She hopes lawmakers will reconsider the operating budget and add more dollars for school therapists.
“Our voices are silenced,” Ramey said, “as a 16-year-old, I have to use my voice more.”
Sunshine Brown is a part of the YouthMove Ohio Youth Leaders and has struggled with her own mental health in the past. Brown told Spectrum News that she had a close friend who died by suicide, and because of that, she’s made it her mission to educate community members on mental health.
“He wasn’t educated on the resources that could have been provided to him,” Brown said. “Maybe, just maybe, if this was provided to him then, and he understood he wasn’t alone, maybe he would still be here today.”
Gov. Mike DeWine and advocates with the National Alliance on Mental Illness spoke on the important topic.
DeWine told the crowd on Wednesday he will continue to put mental health first on his agenda.