Kelly Dussault

I strongly oppose this bill. Social-emotional and behavioral health skills are foundational to success in both school and life, they are the bedrock of employability, resilience, problem-solving, and healthy relationships. Today, we are seeing more than one-third of children in any given classroom struggle with managing stress, working well with others, and developing the resilience needed to thrive. New Hampshire’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports for Behavioral Health and Wellness (MTSS-B) is a proven, prevention-focused framework that ensures all students receive support, while providing more intensive, individualized help when needed. Removing the state’s commitment to this evidence-based approach would leave schools without critical tools to support student well-being. Without these essential skills and supports, we can expect higher dropout rates across K–12 and higher education, along with long-term impacts on workforce readiness and community health. Our students, and our future, cannot afford to lose these protections. We must respond with supportive structures to the real needs of today youth; and keeping this framework in place is one critical piece to the response needed. I strongly urge you to oppose HB1754. Respectfully, Kelly Dussault