Mason Moderates Youth Mental Health Panel Discussion

GURNEE, Ill. – As a member of the Council of State Governments’s (CSG) Midwestern Legislative Conference Health and Human Services Policy Committee, state Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, moderated a CSG panel discussion about youth mental health and suicide prevention on Tuesday.

“Today’s generation of children and teens are struggling with more mental health conditions and suicidal thoughts than we’ve seen in decades. While piecing together the ‘why’ is important, it’s also important to acknowledge that we, as lawmakers and policymakers, have the power and the responsibility to support adolescents with mental illnesses and their loved ones,” said Mason.

The panel was offered by the CSG’s Midwestern Legislative Conference Health and Human Services Policy Committee in collaboration with the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues. The goal of the discussion was to identify the challenges and risks children and teenagers are facing, and how policy changes can support young people and prevent suicide and suicidal thoughts. Experts in the field of adolescent mental health—including Dr. Matthew Nock, the Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, and Dr. Lena Heilmann, director of the Office of Suicide Prevention in Colorado—presented statistics and experiences to help establish a strategy for policymakers.

“I will be taking the highlights of this productive conversation, as well as conversations I’ve been having throughout my district, into this year’s legislative session. The safety and well-being of our children is paramount and must not be overlooked.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, you can find state-supported resources here.