LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As students settle into their new school routines, the transition can bring a wave of emotions and stressors.

According to a 2025 Council on Postsecondary Education mental health report , 80% of Kentucky students reported experiencing some level of academic impairment due to mental or emotional difficulties.

Amanda Villaveces is a licensed marriage and family therapist. She started her nonprofit, Mental Health Lou , after realizing how overwhelming it can be for people to find local resources, hoping to make the search more accessible.

“You can talk to teachers just to check in,” said Villaveces. “Maybe school is fine and maybe it’s something at home that behavior changes.”

Building on that idea, Jim Masters, superintendent at Henry County Schools, said that their

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