1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder and 49.4% of children with a mental health disorder do not receive needed treatment or counseling from a mental health professional. In conjunction with Project AWARE, the Mental Health Services for Students Act of 2021 seeks to provide up to 130 million dollars in competitive grants to schools all over the country. This funding will be delegated in order help establish on-site mental health care services for students. This will ultimately give students with mental health concerns an accessible outlet right within their school communities. The implementation of this policy would ultimately overcome the obstacle of stigma surrounding mental health. Part of the policy involves educating family members, professionals, and their communities on how to intervene and assist individuals with mental health issues and hopefully prevent the risk of suicide. COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the emotional and mental well-being on students of all ages. It is imperative that actions be taken towards rebuilding the lives of students and their families. 
 
 S. 1841 is currently up for debate within the Senate and will hopefully surface during this upcoming congressional session. I would greatly appreciate a few minutes out of your day to sign this petition I have created in the hopes that more recognition of this issue can be emphasized.

Read more about this bill by clicking the links below: 

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1841/text?r=6&s=1

https://napolitano.house.gov/issues/hr-721-mental-health-services-students-act/facts-mental-health-services-students-act