By: Fallon Fischer

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KFOX14/CBS4) — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra held a roundtable in Las Cruces Wednesday to discuss youth mental health in schools.

Becerra spoke about funding allotted by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act for school-based health and mental health services.

“President Biden made this one of his major priorities he said it in the state of the union but more importantly he said it in his budget because he’s allocated more money to do mental health services, substance use disorder services than any President in history,” said Becerra.

LCPS board members along with Dr. Sona Saiz, coordinator for Mental Health and Academic Counseling in Las Cruces School District, Amy Himelright, director of Academic Counseling and Behavioral Health for Las Cruces Public Schools, Senator Ben Ray Lujan, Dan Green, survey epidemiologist supervisor, Neal Bowen from NMDOH, Kristin Oreskovich, SBHC Program clinical operations manager, NMDOH Office of School and Adolescent Health, and Kasandra Gandara, mayor pro-temp of Las Cruces attended the roundtable.

The meeting was held at Arrowhead Park Early College High School.