OPINION: The Breaking Point: Why Mental Health Education Can’t Wait

Updated: 1 minute ago Published: 1 minute ago

The mental health crisis among Alaska’s youth has reached a breaking point. According to a recent survey from the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, nearly one in five high school students in our state has seriously considered attempting suicide. Rates of anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions have skyrocketed over the past decade, with more students struggling than ever before. But for too long, our education system has not provided young Alaskans with the mental health knowledge and skills they so desperately need.

Senate Bill 24 seeks to change that by joining 20 other states to encourage public schools to provide comprehensive mental health education. Mental health will be taught in conjunction with the existing health curriculum, which includes but is not limited to physical health, neglect and dental health. The Center for Disease Control defines mental health as follows: “Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being. It influences how we think, feel and act. It also helps determine how we deal with stress, interact with others and make healthy choices.”

Mental health education does not include referrals, diagnosis and/or treatment. This vital legislation encourages age-appropriate lessons and teaches students how to recognize common mental health issues like depression and anxiety, how and where to seek help for themselves or others, and key coping strategies for building resilience and emotional welfare. Research shows that such mental health education significantly reduces the stigma surrounding mental illness and gives young people the tools to understand and support themselves and their peers.

SB 24 allows districts to choose whether their schools have the capacity to implement a new mental health curriculum, giving school districts more control over schools in their jurisdiction. In addition, the bill provides additional safeguards for parents, including the ability to withdraw their student(s) from mental health education, review lesson content before mental health lessons, and work with stakeholders to improve to help guide development of mental health guidelines.

During the current term and past sessions, through public testimony and conversations with lawmakers across party lines, young people have courageously shared their struggles and losses. They’ve spoken about friends lost to suicide, about silently suffering from untreated conditions, and about their desire to end the shame and silence surrounding mental illness. Students from both rural towns and urban centers made the multi-hour trek to Juneau to ensure their voices were heard on this issue. After hearing directly from Alaska’s students, the need for SB24 to become law is critical and our obligation.

Alaska’s youth mental health crisis cannot wait. Every day without critical knowledge, more young lives are put at risk. Senate Bill 24 is a compassionate, common-sense solution supported by experts and, most importantly, by the students themselves. In this time of need, the Alaska Legislature must act. For the tens of thousands of children who depend on us, there should be no delay; Mental health education in our schools must become a priority. Our students deserve nothing less than the opportunity to understand themselves, support each other, and get help staying mentally healthy.

As the bill continues to move through the legislative process, we are hopeful that the Legislature will act quickly to ensure passage of this much-needed bill.

Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson, Representative CJ McCormick And Representative Stanley Wright are members of the Alaska Legislature. Senator Gray Jackson and Representative Wright live in Anchorage; Rep. McCormick lives in Bethel.

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