NAMI Trends in State Mental Health Legislation
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has released its 2022 Trends in State Mental Health Policy report, which lays out significant state legislation enacted in 2022 to address the mental health needs of Americans.
In July of 2022, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline also launched, a significant milestone in mental health. Anyone can call, text or chat 988 if they (or someone they know) are experiencing a mental health, suicide, or substance use crisis. With this easy-to-remember number, more Americans are reaching out for help than ever.
Highlights from the report addressing student mental health are excerpted directly below:
“The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health cannot be underestimated. During the height of the pandemic, people already living with a mental health condition saw their symptoms worsen, and many other people experienced mental health symptoms for the first time. These patterns continued into 2022, and state policymakers worked to address worsening mental health in their communities. “
“Data from this time makes it clear that, rather than subsiding or improving, the nation’s mental health crisis has only intensified as pandemic-related isolation ended. Around 3 in 10 adults reported symptoms of anxiety or depression in February 2022, compared to a rate of 1 in 10 in January 2019. Recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data on suicide showed that suicide rates increased in 2021 following a two-year decline. Youth mental health has remained a concern, especially for girls. As of fall 2022, average weekly emergency department (ED) visits among adolescent girls remained at or above pre-pandemic levels for mental health conditions overall, suicidal behaviors and drug overdoses.”
“Responding to the ever-growing mental health crisis, state lawmakers passed critical legislation in 2022 to build and reform mental health care systems.”
Examples of 2022 Legislation Addressing School Mental Health Trainings
An act that requires schools to review and update policies on pupil suicide prevention. This bill encourages schools to provide suicide awareness and prevention trainings for teachers.
Examples of 2022 Legislation Addressing School Mental Health Policies and Services
An act that promotes pupil mental health resources via school posters for grades 6-12. Topics can include but are not limited to: common behaviors of individuals in crisis or struggling with mental health conditions, contact information for resources and help, and coping strategies. Posters are also required to be digitized and distributed online on websites, learning platforms and social media.
The report also addressed specific issues relating to young people’s mental health:
Mental Health Days
“Mental health conditions start at an early age, with 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experiencing a mental health disorder each year. With the growing youth mental health crisis, children and adolescents are increasingly relying on their schools for help. One way schools can show their support for students’ health and well-being is by allowing for mental health excused absences.”
“NAMI supports public policies and laws that recognize mental health as an acceptable reason for absence from school. As of the date of this report, over a dozen states across the U.S. have either enacted legislation or are considering legislation that allows students to take excused absences from school due to mental health. These kinds of policies help to further reinforce that mental health and physical health should be treated the same way.”
California is one of twelve states that allow excused absences for mental health.
Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation
“Although state policymakers largely enacted legislation that would positively impact access to care and improve mental health, there was also legislation focusing on harmful practices that have been shown to cause or worsen mental health conditions. Nowhere has that been clearer than in the flood of state legislation targeting the rights of LGBTQ+ communities. According to the ACLU, over 450 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in 2023. This trend was not limited to legislation, as many states’ Governors have used executive actions to implement the same harmful policies.”
Read the full report here.