Vermont State Youth Council urges lawmakers to expand mental-health supports, education reforms and seek state funding

Members of the Vermont State Youth Council told the Senate Committee on Government Operations on Feb. 11 that lawmakers should prioritize mental-health services for young people, revise aspects of the education reform law, support climate stewardship, and provide state funding to replace federal grants that the council says are at risk.

The council, which the youth said was founded by Legislative Act 109 in 2022 and now includes 27 members across five subcommittees, presented a package of recommendations to the committee. Aidan Norman, identified in testimony as the council chair, said the council is aligning its work to the legislative biennium so recommendations can be advanced as bills. "Vermont State Youth Council is a group that now has 27 youth from all walks of life from ages 11 to 18," Norman said.

Why it matters: Council members asked for policy changes that would directly affect schools and youth services statewide, from creating inpatient treatment capacity for eating disorders to changing school schedules and staff complements. They also sought a short-term funding guarantee from the state so the council can continue to operate and to avoid federal restrictions on programming and speech.

Mental-health proposals and capacity: Claire Zannstra, chair of…