(The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed a bill which requires Illinois’ public school districts to provide universal mental health screenings.
Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1560 Thursday at Chute Middle School in Evanston. The governor said annual screenings for kids in grades 3 through 12 will be available by 2027.
“They provide early identification and intervention so that those who are struggling get the help that they need as soon as possible. They improve academic and social outcomes. They help us break down the stigma that too often is a barrier to seeking help,” Pritzker said.
State Sen. Sarah Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, sponsored SB 1560. State Rep. Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, D-Chicago, sponsored the House version of the measure.
In addition to mandating screenings at least once a year, the new law requires the Illinois State Board of Education to provide resource materials for schools to implement the screenings.
Illinois State Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders said that between 2018 and 2022, mental health and substance use disorders caused almost half of hospitalizations among youth from age 3 to 17.
“As the governor said, like vision screening, hearing screening and dental screening, mental health screenings will help us provide timely and appropriate interventions. The earlier we identify the need, the better support we can provide to students to help them thrive in school and in life,” Sanders said.
Sanders said a screening tool would be available at no cost to schools.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed a bill which requires Illinois’ public school districts to provide universal mental health screenings.
At a separate press conference Thursday, state Rep. Steven Reick, R-Woodstock, said universal screenings may sound great because Illinois needs mental health care.
“Universal mental health screenings are going to get us nothing except possibly finding reasons for denial of coverage of insurance or running afoul of all sorts of requirements for confidentiality. We end up having kids who are screened with some sort of potential mental issue. You don’t know where that’s going to lead,” Reick said.
Reick said the screenings could have far-reaching implications.
“Where are we going to go with that? What’s going to happen when kids become adults and they look back and they say, ‘Oh, this guy had indications of such and such.’ I’m not going to say what,” Reick said.
The law allows parents to opt out of the screenings for their children, but it does not allow local school districts to opt out.
