Mental Health Screenings Required For Students In Illinois Starting 27-28 School Year

The change will go into effect in the 2027-2028 school year, but students in Illinois, will soon be required to have  mental health screenings, alongside annual vision and hearing exams. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Thursday that will require public school students in grades 3 through 12 in the state to undergo a mental health screening each year. Pritzker also said the new legislation makes Illinois the first state to mandate universal mental health assessments for public school students. The bill, SB1560, encourages schools to connect student caregivers and parents with the Behavioral Health Care and Ongoing Navigation or BEACON Portal, a tool launched in January that can provide information about available mental health resources and services. Illinois’ move comes two months after the Trump administration pulled funding for about $1 billion in mental health grants. The Department of Education said in May that the grants would be discontinued because the money was going to “race-based actions” instead of mental health services in schools. Students’ mental health has been top of mind ahead of the back-to-school season. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anxiety and depression are some of the most common mental health conditions diagnosed in children between the ages of 3 and 17, with mental health being a significant concern among teens.

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Source: ABC News