Wellesley High School and Town leaders welcomed Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey on May 21 for a major announcement supporting student mental health.
Standing in the WHS rear courtyard, the Governor announced an unprecedented investment in the Bridge for Resilient Youth in Transition (BRYT) program, an in-school program supporting students who've fallen behind academically as a result of mental health challenges.
Using the WHS Bridge program as a model, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is investing $13 million to establish similar programs in other communities.
Prior to making the announcement, the Governor met with Bridge program students, graduates, families, and WPS administrators. Founded in 2006, Wellesley Bridge/BRYT, works with WHS students returning from hospitals or treatment centers due to emotional or medical reasons.
Using a strength-based model, Bridge coordinators Lindsey Yamaguchi and Adam Diliberto help kids and their families manage reentry to school by supporting their academic, social, and emotional needs through building trust and communication.
“Far too many young people in Massachusetts have been affected by a growing mental health crisis that was only amplified by the pandemic,” said Governor Healey. “Every student should have the support needed to balance their mental health and education. Expanding BRYT is a critical step that is bringing us closer to that goal.”
The $13 million state investment – the first ever for this type of program - will provide grant funding to set up BRYT programs at under-resourced, high-need schools that otherwise wouldn’t be able to run these programs. 
Annie McCauley, a former Bridge/BRYT program student and WHS Class of 2014 graduate, explained how critical this support was for her. “My sophomore year, I was struggling to just get through each day. That changed when I entered the Bridge program. The team held so many of my worries, which allowed me to begin to tackle school one step at a time.”
Joining the Governor and Annie for this event were other members of the Healey-Driscoll Administration including Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh and Commissioner of Mental Health Brooke Doyle, along with State Representative Alice Peisch, Wellesley Public Schools Superintendent Dr. David Lussier, Wellesley High School Principal Dr. Jamie Chisum, Select Board Chair Tom Ulfelder, Town of Wellesley Executive Director Meghan Jop, and BRYT program parents and staff.
Following her announcement, the Governor spoke with many of the WHS students and teachers gathered in the high school courtyard, taking photos, and chatting with them about their school experiences.