Lawmakers push for students to get mental health days

Lawmakers push for students to get mental health days

ALONGSIDE COVID -- SUICIDE.STATE OFFICIALS REPORTED MORETHAN 40 TEEN SUICIDES INARIZONA IN 2020 -- DEATHS THATARE IMPACTING NEIGHBORHOODS,SCHOOLS, AND FAMILIES.

NOWTHERE'S A NEW STATE BILL ONTHE TABLE -- TO COUNT MENTALHEALTH DAYS AS EXCUSEDABSENCES.

9 ON YOUR SIDE'SLUZDELIA CABALLERO SPOKE TO ANADVOCATE WHO SAYS IT'S NEEDEDNOW MORE THAN EVER.LISA COLE SAYS-- MENTAL HEALTHHAS DETERIORATED DURING THEPANDEMIC -- AND IT'S ABOUTTIME A BILL LIKE THIS WASINTRODUCED FOR STUDENTS.

WE'VEBEEN GETTING SO MANY CALLSFROM FAMILY MEMBERS TRYING TOSUPPORT THEIR FAMILY.

COLESAYS THE NUMBER OF CALLS HAVENEARLY DOUBLED AT THE NATIONALALLIANCE FOR MENTAL ILLNESS--PEOPLE ARE DEFINITELYSTRUGGLING AND THEY SITE THEPANDEMIC AS A REASON FOR THATQUITE OFTEN.

SHE SAYS THEYOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVECALLED IN ABOUT FEELINGISOLATED, ANXIOUS ANDFRUSTRATED FROM NOT BEING ABLETO LEAVE THEIR HOMES.

WHICH ISWHY SHE BELIEVES THE ARIZONABILL-- SB 1097 COULDN'T COMEANY SOONER.

IT WAS FIRSTINTRODUCED IN MARCH, AS THEPANDEMIC WAS STARTING.LAWMAKERS REJECTED IT BACKTHEN -- BUT JUST LAST WEEK THESENATE RE-CONSIDERED THE BILL-- AND IT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.THE BILL -- WOULD TREATABSENCES BASED ON MENTAL ANDBEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES -- ASEXCUSED ABSENCES -- AT A STATELEVEL.

BUT WOULD LEAVEINDIVIDUAL MENTAL HEALTHPOLICIES UP TO EACH DISTRICT.I THINK IT'S AN ABSOLUTELYWONDERFUL THING.

THE MORE WEARE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT MENTALHEALTH OPENLY, THE BETTER ITWILL BE BECAUSE PEOPLE WILLFEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITHGETTING HELP.

SHE SAYS THENUMBER OF SUICIDES HAS GROWNEXPONENTIALLY AMONG YOUNGPEOPLE SINCE THE PANDEMIC.

SHEBELIEVES THIS BILL WOULD BE AGOOD FIRST STEP TO GETTINGYOUTH THE HELP THEY NEED.

WESEE THE POTENTIALLY FOR YOUNGPEOPLE'S PRODUCTIVITY GOINGUP, THEIR COMFORT LEVEL GOINGUP, THEIR GRADES MAY IMPROVE,AND I THINK THE PERCENTAGE OFYOUNG PEOPLE WHO WILL BE ABLETO GET HELP AND TALK ABOUTTHESE THINGS WILL GO UP.

AS APARENT OR PEER, SHE SAYS THEBEST WAY TO NORMALIZE ACONVERSATION IS BY OPENLYTALKING ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS.OR JUST BEING OPEN ABOUT THEFACT THAT, HEY I'M NOT REALLYHAVING THAT GREAT A DAY BUTWE'LL GET THROUGH THIS.

COLESAYS SIGNS OF DETERIORATINGMENTAL HEALTH INCLUDE CHANGEOF HABITS-- LIKE LOSS OFAPPETITE, CHANGE IN SLEEPINGSCHEDULES, FLUCTUATING MOODS,AND EVEN HEIGHTENED ANXIETYAND DEPRESSION.

50% OF YOUNGPEOPLE FROM THE AGES OF 8 TO15 DO NOT RECEIVE TREATMENT.

IDEFINITELY FEEL THAT A BILLLIKE THIS WOULD MAKE THATPERCENTAGE GO DOWN.

HERE'S HERMESSAGE TO STUDENTS.

WE WANTTO MAKE SURE, ESPECIALLY FORTHE YOUNG PEOPLE, THAT HAVINGA MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESS ISNOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF.LUZDELIA CABALLERO, KGUN9 ONYOUR SIDE.ANOTHER BILL RELATED TOSTUDENT SUICIDE -- AIMS TO