Legislation introduced to add mental health support for youth
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Mental health continues to be a top priority on both sides of the aisle at the Ohio Statehouse.
Two bills have been introduced in an effort to increase mental health awareness in Ohio schools.
New proposals include House Bill 82, which calls for required mental health training for school athletic coaches, and House Bill 38 to allow students to take three mental health days per year.
"This is a wonderful step forward in de-stigmatizing and normalizing mental health issues amongst teens and children," Susan Albers, Clinical Psychologist for Cleveland Clinic said.
Albers, a Clinical Psychologist at Cleveland Clinic, applauds these legislative proposals and said it ultimately comes down to healthy coping mechanisms for students.
State Representative Blackshear Junior says he hopes allowing students to take mental health days will encourage them to talk to someone about how they are feeling.
"It will create a broader conversation about the issue. There will be support services where a lot of these kids can go to get the help that they need. And it also gives students a voice. That's the main thing. They get a voice. If they're not feeling 100%, it's okay to just say, hey, I'm not feeling 100%," said State Rep. Willis Blac]kshear Jr. (D-Dayton).
He said it's important to understand there are some limitations regarding when the mental health days can be used so students are not missing important test days.
Across the aisle, lawmakers are calling attention to the need for mental health awareness in high school sports.
State Representative Gail Pavliga says an athletic coach should be able to handle a mental health crisis the same way a person would respond to CPR.
Her office released this statement:
“High school athletes do, in fact, face mental health concerns. It is time we provide coaches and administrators with the necessary tools to help these athletes through a time in their lives that should be great, but can sometimes be extremely stressful," stated State Rep. Gail Pavliga (R-Portage County).
Both pieces of legislation are currently in House committees. However, mental health awareness goes beyond the state legislature.
Gov. Mike DeWine made mental health a priority in his State of the State Address in January.
He proposed appropriations in the state’s fiscal budget for things like increased prevention, better crisis response and treatment, growing the behavioral health workforce, mental health research, and innovation.