Political Advocacy, Fall 2025
I, again, asked students to choose a political issue that was important to them, think of how it intersects with their study of psychology, research this issue, and write a letter to their elected representatives, sharing their policy or funding hopes. This assignment resulted in 471 letters being written and sent to various local, state, and federal politicians.
I am just interested in developing a habit of civic engagement, and I am in no way interested in what their policy or funding requests are. But, I am curious as to the general topic these 17- and 18-year-olds chose to write about. Feeding their letters into Claude for thematic analysis, I got those following.
1. School-Based Mental Health Services (~11-12 letters)
Students wrote extensively about the need for more counselors, psychologists, and mental health professionals in schools. They referenced specific bills like the PEER Mental Health Act (H.R. 1448), Senate Bill 224 (Mental Health Support in Schools Act), Senate Bill 531, and H.R. 5557. Students emphasized inadequate counselor-to-student ratios and the need for early intervention.
2. Mental Health/Healthcare Access and Affordability (General) (~11-12 letters)
Many students advocated for broader mental health coverage and affordability, addressing issues like insurance coverage for mental health treatment, Medicaid expansion, Medicare reimbursement rates, and reducing financial barriers to therapy and counseling services.
3. Social Media Impact on Youth Mental Health (~9 letters)
A significant number of students wrote about the harmful effects of social media on teenagers, including anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. They supported legislation like the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), the Stop the Scroll Act, and called for stronger regulations, warning labels, and age verification systems on social media platforms.
4. Immigration Reform and Mental Health (~7 letters)
Students connected immigration policies to mental health, focusing on the psychological trauma of family separation, the need for family unity, and access to mental health services for immigrant families. They referenced bills like the Reuniting Families Act and Assembly Bill 495.
5. Veterans Mental Health Services (~5 letters)
Students advocated for expanded mental health care for veterans, addressing PTSD, depression, housing instability, and the need for better VA services, including methadone clinics and outreach programs.
Honorable mention: Gun violence/control also received 5 letters, making it tied with veterans’ mental health for the fifth spot.