Education on how to access mental health services will be provided in Illinois schools under a plan approved Wednesday by a Senate committee. [Health News Illinois 2.10.2021]

The proposal, sponsored by Sen. Mike Simmons, D-Chicago, requires elementary and secondary schools to educate students on how and where to find mental health resources.

“Our youth have been so resilient during these past few years, but many of the broader issues amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic have put a severe strain on the mental health of our young people,” Simmon said in a statement after the plan was unanimously approved by the Senate’s Education Committee. “It’s imperative that we prioritize the mental health and well-being of our young people and center the experiences they are voicing and actually living through.” 

The plan now heads to the full Senate.

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