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(Washington D.C.)- Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano (D-Norwalk), Co-Chair of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus, today introduced the “Mental Health in Schools Act of 2007,” comprehensive legislation that authorizes competitive grants to local school districts or coalitions of schools, health providers, and communities.
“Research and statistics convey an alarming truth: nearly one in five children are affected by mental illness. We must act now to allow mental health professionals to care for our kids in need of immediate help,” explained Napolitano.
The bill was introduced today with the bipartisan cosponsorship of 62 Representatives in the House, and builds on the foundation of S. 1332, introduced by Senators Kennedy (D-MA), Enzi (R-WY), Domenici (R-NM) and Dodd (D-CT). Several months of public input allowed the bill to include feedback from educators, school psychologists, school administrators and mental health advocates.
The legislation proposes to:
- Increase collaboration between schools, health providers and their communities through coalitions as applicants for grant funding.
- Identify and support students in need of immediate mental health care and those at-risk of behavioral mental health disorders, allowing teachers to concentrate on teaching.
- Promote positive mental health education and training to all students, parents, siblings of students, and concerned members of the community.
- Require schools to apply a public health approach that incorporates positive behavioral interventions and supports, targeting all students.
- Require schools to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate comprehensive staff development for school and community service personnel.
- Require schools to thoroughly document measures of outcome and demonstrate the actions they are taking to sustain the program independently of grant funds
- Account for the needs of youth who drop out of schools due to “zero tolerance policies,” and those who have been incarcerated or are emancipated as foster youth.
“Last year untreated mental illness cost our economy over $150 billion, yet an exhaustive study found that it is not the treatment of mental illness that is expensive, rather, it is the failure to treat them,” noted Napolitano. “Enacting this legislation will be of great benefit to society, allowing mental health professionals to care for our kids, allowing teachers to concentrate on teaching, and reducing family conflict, substance abuse, violence, incarceration, and suicide.”
“Mental illnesses are diagnosable and treatable, and Congress must act not only to erase the stigma, but also to provide our children with the support they need to thrive as healthy and productive citizens.”
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