Pennsylvania could soon join the list of more than a dozen states that allow students to take a mental health day if they feel they need time off to rest and recharge.
The Democratic-led House Education Committee voted to move forward Thursday. invoice A packed chamber will be held to allow students to take up to three days of mental health leave during the academic year without needing a medical excuse. A similar bill was considered in the last legislative session but never made it to the governor's desk.
The 14-11 vote along party lines came after two days of hearings in which experts weighed in on what they called a student mental health crisis that needs attention and more resources.
Some of the statistics shared by 2021 Pennsylvania Youth Survey A survey conducted in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 found that one in 10 students reported feeling sad or depressed most days, and one in five had seriously considered suicide. It has been found.
Surveys of school leaders conducted by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association over the past three years show that student mental health issues are cited as the top instructional challenge facing schools, with 60% of students He said he has mental health needs.
Several experts cited a shortage of school counselors. Rep. Napoleon Nelson, D-Montgomery County, proposed introducing mental health days as a way to alleviate problems for some students.
He acknowledged that many school districts already allow students to take mental health days and that his bill would only codify this practice into law. It also addresses truancy concerns that may arise from parents who do not send their children home from school for mental health reasons, he said.
“The school district can deny that allegation as a truancy concern,” Nelson told the committee. “For me, this is the best way to listen to both the student voice, the parent voice, and the parents who are the best stewards of the education and well-being of their students.”
But the idea ran into resistance from Republicans and some witnesses. Christopher Ufel, on behalf of all state intermediaries, told the committee: “When we develop school-based services in schools, we need to ensure that children are at school rather than sitting at home. “It's important that people can come and receive services.” ”
The committee's top Republican, Rep. Jesse Topper of Bedford County, also opposed the idea of a mental health day.
“We really need to look at the structures surrounding mental health services in and out of schools, and I don't know if this bill meets that goal,” he said. “Whenever a student is excused for medical reasons, we would like to see a note from a medical professional detailing that…and this bill would allow that day without that medical professional's involvement. will be required.”
Some 13 states have mental health days for students. Maryland law that took effect in the 2022-2023 school year requires schools to provide up to five days of mental health leave per school year for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, without requiring a doctor's note. ing.
Other bills approved by the House Education Committee include:
- Requires schools issuing ID cards for students in grades 6 through 12 to include the following: National, state, and local suicide prevention hotline numbers In addition to putting the suicide prevention number on the card, it also requires schools to display the suicide prevention number on their websites, in the counselor's office, the principal's office, or the chief school administrator's office. The bill received unanimous support from the committee.
- Schools are required to implement a comprehensive school counseling plan, with at least 80% of school counselors' time spent on direct and indirect services to students, including academic, emotional, and career exploration, and the remainder spent on administrative services. We have established guidelines to allocate the funds to activities. The bill passed on a party-line vote with all Republicans opposed.
Topper said the counselor bill would impose burdensome duties on school districts already stretched by understaffed schools.
But Lehigh County Democratic Party Chairman Peter Schweyer said he believes the legislation is necessary to achieve long-term changes in how counseling services are provided in schools. He is open to amending the law to include a phase-in period, but believes there needs to be clear expectations about how counselors will be used, otherwise nothing will change. .
“If we have learned anything from the coronavirus, if we have learned anything from the past few years and the testimony of the last few days, it is that there is no time to wait to move forward. ” Schweyer said.
Jan Murphy can be contacted at: [email protected]. Follow her on her X at @JanMurphy.
