Protect Our Students: Save the Mental Health Liaisons in Lake County Schools!
The Issue
Imagine a student in crisis—overwhelmed, panicked, or quietly slipping into a dark place. Who do they turn to?
In Lake County Schools, they turn to their Mental Health Liaison.
Right now, there is a dedicated, highly trained Mental Health Liaison on every single campus in our county. They are the lifeline for students facing severe emotional and psychological struggles. They provide immediate intervention, run support groups, and coordinate with outside agencies to get kids the intensive help they need before a crisis becomes a tragedy.
But these vital positions are currently on the chopping block.
The Threat to Student Safety
Here is the reality: Funding for these positions is tied to a local property-tax referendum. Currently, a 0.75-mill tax supports our school safety and mental health initiatives, keeping these liaisons in our schools.
In November 2026, voters will decide on replacing this with a 1.0-mill referendum to continue this vital funding while also helping to pay our teachers fairly.
If this referendum DOES NOT pass, the current funding expires on June 30, 2027.
If that happens, the district will still be required by state law to meet strict safety mandates—but without the dedicated local funds to do it. This means the district will be forced to make impossible choices. The dedicated Mental Health Liaison at your child's school could be eliminated, reduced, or restructured.
Why We Cannot Afford to Lose Them
Without Mental Health Liaisons, the burden of severe mental health crises will fall onto staff who are already stretched too thin and who are not clinically trained for these specific, deep-level interventions:
Guidance Counselors are critical, but they are overwhelmed with academic planning, testing, and general student support. They do not have the capacity to manage acute psychological crises all day.
School Resource Deputies are law enforcement officers trained to protect physical safety, not to act as full-time psychological therapists.
Mental health issues in our youth are at an all-time high. Our liaisons do more than just talk; they identify at-risk youth, de-escalate emergencies, and build bridges with families so children don't fall through the cracks. Taking them away isn't just a budget cut; it's removing the safety net from under our most vulnerable kids.
Our Demand
We are calling on the Lake County Commissioners and the Lake County School District to commit to this promise: No matter the outcome of the 2026 referendum, you must find a way to secure funding for a dedicated Mental Health Liaison at every school.
We understand that budgets are tight and mandates are strict. However, the mental health and physical safety of our children cannot be treated as optional line items. They are essential.
A Message Beyond Lake County
To those reading this outside of Lake County, or even outside of Florida: Your signature matters just as much. By signing this petition, you are helping to set a powerful, national precedent. When local governments see a massive groundswell of support for dedicated Mental Health Liaisons, it sends a clear message that student mental wellness is a universal priority. Your support today could serve as the exact proof your own community leaders need to protect existing mental health positions from budget cuts, or to finally integrate these irreplaceable professionals into your own school district. Let's show leaders everywhere that we stand together for the well-being of all students.
Please sign this petition to tell our local leaders that our children's mental health is not negotiable. Let's make sure that when a student in Lake County—or anywhere—cries out for help, there is a qualified professional there to answer.
Sign and share to protect our students!
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The Issue
Imagine a student in crisis—overwhelmed, panicked, or quietly slipping into a dark place. Who do they turn to?
In Lake County Schools, they turn to their Mental Health Liaison.
Right now, there is a dedicated, highly trained Mental Health Liaison on every single campus in our county. They are the lifeline for students facing severe emotional and psychological struggles. They provide immediate intervention, run support groups, and coordinate with outside agencies to get kids the intensive help they need before a crisis becomes a tragedy.
But these vital positions are currently on the chopping block.
The Threat to Student Safety
Here is the reality: Funding for these positions is tied to a local property-tax referendum. Currently, a 0.75-mill tax supports our school safety and mental health initiatives, keeping these liaisons in our schools.
In November 2026, voters will decide on replacing this with a 1.0-mill referendum to continue this vital funding while also helping to pay our teachers fairly.
If this referendum DOES NOT pass, the current funding expires on June 30, 2027.
If that happens, the district will still be required by state law to meet strict safety mandates—but without the dedicated local funds to do it. This means the district will be forced to make impossible choices. The dedicated Mental Health Liaison at your child's school could be eliminated, reduced, or restructured.
Why We Cannot Afford to Lose Them
Without Mental Health Liaisons, the burden of severe mental health crises will fall onto staff who are already stretched too thin and who are not clinically trained for these specific, deep-level interventions:
Guidance Counselors are critical, but they are overwhelmed with academic planning, testing, and general student support. They do not have the capacity to manage acute psychological crises all day.
School Resource Deputies are law enforcement officers trained to protect physical safety, not to act as full-time psychological therapists.
Mental health issues in our youth are at an all-time high. Our liaisons do more than just talk; they identify at-risk youth, de-escalate emergencies, and build bridges with families so children don't fall through the cracks. Taking them away isn't just a budget cut; it's removing the safety net from under our most vulnerable kids.
Our Demand
We are calling on the Lake County Commissioners and the Lake County School District to commit to this promise: No matter the outcome of the 2026 referendum, you must find a way to secure funding for a dedicated Mental Health Liaison at every school.
We understand that budgets are tight and mandates are strict. However, the mental health and physical safety of our children cannot be treated as optional line items. They are essential.
A Message Beyond Lake County
To those reading this outside of Lake County, or even outside of Florida: Your signature matters just as much. By signing this petition, you are helping to set a powerful, national precedent. When local governments see a massive groundswell of support for dedicated Mental Health Liaisons, it sends a clear message that student mental wellness is a universal priority. Your support today could serve as the exact proof your own community leaders need to protect existing mental health positions from budget cuts, or to finally integrate these irreplaceable professionals into your own school district. Let's show leaders everywhere that we stand together for the well-being of all students.
Please sign this petition to tell our local leaders that our children's mental health is not negotiable. Let's make sure that when a student in Lake County—or anywhere—cries out for help, there is a qualified professional there to answer.
Sign and share to protect our students!
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on August 14, 2026