Bi-partisan bill introduced by Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) aims to obtain more funding for K-12 mental health needs
The Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Act was introduced on Thursday, February 10, 2022. Rosen and Murkowski’s bill is asking the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to fund K-12 mental health needs such as training programs for students and staff, social media applications and telehealth services to conduct mental health screenings and assess suicide risk. “As we’ve seen in Nevada and across the country, this pandemic has exacerbated the existing student mental health crisis – leading to an increase in student anxiety, depression, and suicides, tragically including 20 in the Clark County School District alone,” said Senator Rosen. “As we work together to recover from COVID-19, we must prioritize supporting our students and their mental health needs. My bipartisan legislation would allow the federal government to fund comprehensive, equitable, and evidence-based resources and programs in K-12 schools to further promote our students’ mental health, and help prevent student suicides.” Read more at https://www.rosen.senate.gov/icymi-rosen-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-address-k-12-student-mental-health-crisis