Those who sign this petition wish to see Mental Health Education implemented in states' elementary curriculum, on a national scale. Arming our children, this nation’s future, with knowledge, awareness, and compassion. 

Mental illness does not target a specific group through race, religion, or salary. In the United States, 1 in 5 people suffer with mental illness each year; half of which are seen by the age of 14. 

In the elementary levels, we teach our children the symptoms of physical illnesses and diseases, so why not depression, OCD, and anxiety?

As a college student at a large university, I come across people with mental health issues routinely. What if children were able to talk about their feelings in the same way they might if they had a stomach ache? If the same emphasis were put on mental health as physical health at an elementary level it would help remove the negative connotation attached to mental health. 

It is for this reason, I am calling on all state senators to focus their efforts onto the addition of mental health in the elementary school curriculum.  

In its severity, one person every forty seconds dies due to suicide -- second leading cause of death among 15-29 year olds. There is large correlation between the lack of mental health education and suicide rates. People’s lives are ruined by the lack of mental health education and services. 

We need to provide our children with a curriculum that includes mental health education in order to give them a future where they are not afraid to ask for help. 

Connect
Destigmatize
Educate