TOLEDO, Ohio — The Mental Health Matters Act of 2022 is one step closer to the president's desk. It recently passed in the House, as U.S. lawmakers are taking steps to confront the mental health crisis for students.
H.R. 7780, or the Mental Health Matters Act, would expand access to mental health and substance use services for our youth.
In 2021, the CDC said more than 44% of students reported they experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.
The legislation includes establishing a grant program under the Department of Education to build a pipeline of school-based mental health services providers and professionals serving inside schools.
It would increase students' access to evidence-based trauma support and identify evidence-based interventions for Head Start programs.
Roughly 1 in 6 children between the ages of 2 and 8 are diagnosed with a mental, behavioral or developmental disorder. The executive director of the Mental Health Services Board in Lucas County, Scott Sylak, said the earlier we can identify that, the earlier we can give them proper care.
"You can literally change the trajectory of somebody's life by improving their access to mental health services earlier rather than later," he explained.
The Education and Labor Committee said nearly 80% of youth in need of mental health services do not have access in their communities. The department reports that's why schools need to play a crucial role in providing these services.
Sylak said a way educators can help is by making sure students feel seen and heard.
"We often walk past and say, 'hey, how are you doing?'" Sylak said. "So that's important, but we also need to create safe spaces where people can feel comfortable and creating those quality relationships with caring and empathetic adults so that somebody feels safe enough to say, 'hey, I'm kind of struggling today."
The Mental Health Matters Act was just passed in the House in September. Now, it's on its way to the Senate.
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