Harrisburg, June 24 – The House Education Committee today approved State Rep. Mike Schlossberg’s bill to implement more rigorous mental health screening in Pennsylvania schools.
“I appreciate my colleagues on the House Education Committee working together to bring this important bill to the full House for consideration,” said Schlossberg, a Lehi Democrat. “Students have struggled with mental health issues for years, and we’ve all learned a valuable lesson. Most importantly, community schools are fantastic places to provide critical mental health services.”
Rep. Schlossberg introduced HB 2311 to ensure Pennsylvania schools are responsive to the mental health needs of their students by establishing a pilot program to conduct annual mental health screenings for students in grades 6-12. The bill would require the State Department of Education to assess the needs of school districts and assist school districts in screening for the mental health needs of their students.
“If we’re serious about saving lives and improving mental health, we must act aggressively,” Schlossberg said. “Increasing mental health screenings will help ensure treatment and care is available when mental health issues first appear, while also allowing us to better understand our students’ needs. Too many kids suffer in silence and seek treatment until it’s too late. We must do more, and we must start now.”
House Bill 2311 will now head to the full House for debate. The bill must pass both the House and the Senate before it can be sent to Governor Josh Shapiro and signed into law.
House Democrats are committed to promoting better jobs, better schools and better communities. House Democrats put people over politics and are committed to lowering taxes, helping workers save for retirement, putting more teachers in our local schools and keeping our communities safe. To learn more about these successful efforts, visit: pahouse.com/deliveringforpa.
Information provided to TVL:
Tom Andrews
