I support SB 21 to develop a statewide mental health awareness license plate program to help improve youth mental health. We have a youth mental health crisis on our hands. The CDC reported that the proportion of mental-health related emergency department visits during the pandemic among all pediatric emergency department visits increased by 24% for children ages 5-11 and by 31% for children ages 12-17. Now more than ever, our public schools deserve our support so they can meet the rising mental health crisis among California’s students. SB 21 would require the California Department of Education (CDE) to apply to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to establish a mental health awareness license plate program and help fund mental health awareness and suicide prevention. When drivers purchase these specialized mental health awareness license plates, the extra fees they pay will help fund CDE’s critical work to provide mental health services in California’s public schools. Please help us support the wellbeing of students and help them thrive.