Moylan Highlights Efforts to Address Youth Mental Health

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Addressing the rising rates of youth suicide and mental health disorders across the United States, state Rep. Marty Moylan, D-Des Plaines, recently backed legislation to  enhance mental health guidelines for Illinois schools and increase support for youth mental wellness.

“Mental health is extremely important to the well-being of every individual, and we need to do more to provide resources and strengthen our support for mental wellness, especially after the past year,” Moylan said. “Over the past couple decades, we have seen a significant rise in youth suicides and mental health issues. We need to be doing much more to address this growing problem. Identifying those at risk for suicide and being able to provide support services to them could very well be the difference between life and death.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide rates have risen by 35% over the past 20 years, and is the second leading cause of death for individuals between the ages of 10 and 34. The Moylan-supported House Bill 576 and House Bill 577 aim to address this growing concern for youth in schools. House Bill 576 would recognize the mental or behavioral health of a student as a legitimate reason for taking a sick day from school, allowing students to address their health issues. House Bill 577 enhances the methods of suicide prevention in schools by identifying students at an increased risk of suicide, allowing schools to deploy methods of intervention sooner and more easily.

Both pieces of legislation passed the House and their respective Senate committees without opposition and currently reside on the Senate floor.

“Discussions about mental health can be quite difficult to have, but they are critically important in order to prevent these tragic deaths,” Moylan said. “We cannot afford to remain silent any longer. These deaths can all be prevented and we should be doing all we can to save these young lives. I believe these bills are a good start to address this silent epidemic, but these efforts are only the beginning.”

For questions concerning House Bill 576, House Bill 577, state issues, other legislation or district matters, please contact Moylan’s full-time constituent office at 847-635-6821 or email StateRepMoylan@gmail.com.