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Youth Council panel highlights student survey, urges more funding and school-based access to mental-health care
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Summary
Cape Coral Youth Council members presented survey results and hosted mental-health experts on April 7, 2026; panelists called for more funding, earlier intervention and expanded school-based services, and described a nonprofit crisis service that diverts 92–94% of school calls from hospitalization.
The Cape Coral Youth Council convened a special meeting on April 7, 2026 to discuss youth mental health after the council presented the results of a youth survey and hosted a panel of regional experts.
The council said the Oasis High School survey covered 924 enrolled students and that the Youth Council received 214 responses. The responses, the council said, repeatedly cited academic pressure, high stress, feelings of isolation and hesitancy to seek help because of stigma or fear of not being taken seriously.
Panelists — Heather Cross, CEO of the Center for Progress and Excellence (CPE); Dr. Dawn Belomarch, president and CEO of the Collaboratory; Nicole Liberto, system director for behavioral health at Lee Health; Lori Brooks, director of physical and mental health services for the Lee County School District; and Cape Coral Police Officer Sean Frazin — answered six questions from the council and students about barriers, access and long-term solutions.
"We still fight the stigma of mental health," said Heather Cross, describing CPE’s school partnerships and outreach. "Let's just talk about it." Cross said CPE operates mobile crisis teams, a 24/7 live hotline and free, mobile services that can meet youth at school, at home or in the community. She told the council that CPE’s diversion rate from hospitalization when called into schools is "between 92 and 94 percent," a statistic she said shows the value of clinical responses over immediate hospitalization.
Lori Brooks outlined in-district staffing and state funding constraints. "Through that allocation, we fund 57 licensed mental health professionals" assigned across Lee County schools, Brooks said, adding the district relies on school counselors, social workers, psychologists and nurses to extend services. She said the district employs roughly 350 staff in school-based mental-health roles but that funding limits how many licensed clinicians can be assigned full time to each school.
Panelists identified three recurring barriers: stigma, access and time. "First the stigma," Dr. Dawn Belomarch said, noting many young people are reluctant to admit they are struggling. Liberto added that students often cite lack of time and scheduling burden as reasons not to pursue care.
The panel also described the district’s process for students in crisis and recent statutory changes. Brooks said that since the passage of Senate Bill 590 in 2019 the district has emphasized clinical screening and parental contact and prefers mobile crisis teams for clinical assessments before involving school resource officers. "The threshold for school resource officer involvement is imminent danger," Brooks said, adding that mobile crisis teams should respond when available.
Panelists urged early intervention and stronger partnerships among schools, community providers and legislators to scale programs that work. Several speakers recommended using student SAFE clubs and peer supports to redesign in-school wellness instruction to be more interactive and student-led.
Member Johnson, who led the council’s mental-health project, told the panel she planned to present the full survey results to the Lee County School Board and Cape Coral City Council.
The council moved citizen input to after the panel and closed the meeting with a voice vote to adjourn. The Youth Council’s next meeting was announced for April 10 at 3 p.m. in Council Chambers.
