When tragedy strikes close to home, it leaves a mark that, hopefully, never fades. The recent shooting at Annunciation church and school has shaken Minnesotans to our core. Parents, teachers, neighbors, and all of us are asking the same question: how do we make sure something like this never happens again?

Gov. Walz and many Democrats in the legislature have been quick to use this tragedy to focus on what kinds of guns should be banned and what new gun ownerships restrictions can be put in place.

I understand why that is the instinct, but I believe we will be more effective if we focus on the root causes of violence. One of those issues is our crisis in mental health care. If we do not take that seriously, we will keep finding ourselves in the same awful place.

I have been saying this for years, but recently had a chance to emphasize the point again in the brand new, ad-hoc, working group violence prevention. I told my colleagues, “We could spend weeks upon weeks just on the mental health portion (of these tragedies). What can we do to hopefully get people the help so they…do not shoot through windows at children?” Mental health is the actual urgent conversation we need to have, and it should be a major priority for the next legislature.

One in five Minnesotans faces mental illness each year, and one in ten young people has experienced a period of major depression. That means just about every family, every school, and every community is touched by this. And too many people still fall through the cracks. They wait months for an appointment, or they never connect with care at all. We have to do better.

In 2022, I was the chief-author of a comprehensive mental health bill that we did get across the finish line, but even then we encountered significant resistance from my friends across the aisle.

Last session, Senate Republicans tried to move significant funding into three areas where help is most needed:

We pushed for more school-linked behavioral health grants, so kids can access services right where they are every day. These programs have a track record of connecting children, especially those who might never have gotten help otherwise, to the support they need.

We also pushed for more mobile crisis teams. These are professionals who can go out into homes or community settings when someone is in crisis. They provide a rapid response, they can stabilize situations, and they are often more effective than hospitalization at linking people to long-term care. These teams save lives.

And finally, we pushed for better pay for providers at every level. If we want more people to go into this field, we have to make it financially workable. It is simple: we cannot expand access to care if there is no one there to provide it.

Unfortunately, Senate Democrats blocked those efforts last session, but we are going to keep working at it. We will bring them back, and we will keep building support for these important issues.

And while we are talking about mental health, I have to mention that September was Suicide Prevention Month. It is a reminder that every life is precious and that mental health is just as important as physical health. Checking in on a neighbor, talking openly, and listening with care are just a few small steps that can make a difference. The bigger policy and funding choices we make at the Capitol matter too.

I have worked on many issues during my time in the Senate, but improving mental health support might be the most important. It affects families, schools, workplaces, and communities. If we get this right, we can save lives, prevent tragedies, and give thousands of Minnesotans the bright future they deserve.

— Rich Draheim represents District 22 in the Minnesota Senate