BRANDIS?
>> PARIS, STARTING IN JANUARY,
ILLINOIS STUDENTS AGES 7-17 CAN
TAKE UP TO FIVE MENTAL HEALTH
DAYS OR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DAYS
OFF OF SCHOOL WITHOUT A DOCTOR'S
NOTE.
UNDER THE LAW SIGNED BY GOVERNOR
J.B. PRITZKER, STUDENTS ARE
REFERRED TO SCHOOL STAFF FOR
PROFESSIONAL HELP AFTER THE
SECOND MENTAL HEALTH DAY.
JOINING US TO DISCUSS THIS
LEGISLATION AND WHAT IT COULD
MEAN FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH OF
CHILDREN ARE Dr. TARA GILL,
PSYCHOLOGIST AND MENTAL HEALTH
CONSULTANT WITH LURIE CHILDREN'S
CENTER.
AND ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT
NORTHWESTERN'S UNIVERSITY
FEINBERG SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.
AND ROBERT MARTWICK, WHO
REPRESENTATIVES PARTS OF
CHICAGO'S NORTHWEST SIDE.
SENATOR, WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT
FOR YOU TO INTRODUCE THIS BILL?
>> WELL, IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR
THAT WITH THE PERFECT STORM WAS
CREATED BY THE PANDEMIC, THE
AMOUNT OF PRESSURE THAT WAS PUT
UPON OUR STUDENT POPULATION WAS
SHOWING VERY IDENTIFIABLE
RESULTS.
WE SAW NATIONWIDE SUICIDE RATES
AMONGST THE CHILDREN AGED 15-24
SKYROCKET.
IN FACT BECOMING THE SECOND
LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONGST
[AUDIO INTERRUPTION] AND THE
PUSH IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO
ADDRESS THAT BUT IT DOES NO GOOD
TO OFFER THE PROGRAMMING AND
THIS WAS ONE WAY OF LETTING
STUDENTS KNOW THAT BY REMOVING
THAT STIGMA THAT IT WAS OK FOR
THEM TO ADDRESS THEIR MENTAL
HEALTH AND SEEK THE HELP THEY
NEED.
>> THANK YOU.
YOU BROKE UP A LITTLE BIT BUT I
THINK WE GOT THE CRUX OF WHAT
YOU WERE GETTING AT.
Dr. GILL HOW CAN FIVE MENTAL
HEALTH DAYS BE USEFUL FOR
STUDENTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE
SCHOOL YEAR?
>> THANK YOU THAT IS A GREAT
QUESTION.
I BELIEVE IF WE EMPOWER YOUTH
PARTICULARLY OLDER YOUTH TO
IDENTIFY WHEN THEY ARE FEELING
CHALLENGED MENTALLY JUST AS WELL
AS WE MIGHT ALLOW THEM TO
ACKNOWLEDGE WHEN THEY ARE
FEELING CHALLENGED PHYSICALLY
THEY CAN LEARN TO UTILIZE THE
DAYS TO BE MORE OF A BENEFIT AND
I THINK WITH PROPER LEGISLATION
AND CHANGES IN POLICY AT THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT LEVEL YOU WILL
BE ABLE TO HAVE YOUTH TO HAVE
SKILLS DEVELOPED TO LEARN HOW TO
MOST BENEFIT FROM THOSE DAYS.
>> AND Dr. GILL STICKING WITH
YOU, WHAT IMPACT HAS COVID HAD
ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF YOUNG
PEOPLE?
>> COVID IS A CONDITION THAT IS
HAS BEEN CHALLENGING FOR YOUTH,
FAMILIES AND THE MENTAL HEALTH
AND HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
IT HAS DEFINITELY CAUSED AN
INCREASE IN YOUTH WHO ARE
PRESENTING AT ER'S AND
PSYCHOLOGY CLINICS AND WAITING
LISTS AND LESS ADULTS IN THE
PRESENCE OF KIDS TO IDENTIFY
THEM AT THE PREVENTION LEVEL.
WHEN THEY DO PRESENT THEY TEND
TO HAVE INCREASED LEVEL OF
SEVERITY OF SYMPTOMS WITH MUCH
MORE COMPLEXITIES.
A LOT MORE ANXIETY AND
DEPRESSION.
>> SENATOR HAVE YOU NOTICED LESS
OF A STIGMA AROUND MENTAL HEALTH
AND AMONG YOUTH AND CHILDREN?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT THERE'S
BEEN A MOVE THROUGH SOCIETALLY
WHICH IS A GOOD THING IS TO --
IT IS LESS OF A STIGMA AROUND
ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH AND
THAT HAS BEEN PART OF THE
MESSAGING THAT MENTAL HEALTH
CARE IS A PART OF OVERALL
HEALTHCARE.
WE HAVE TO ATTEMPT TO ALL OF THE
PARTS OF OUR BODY NOT IF WE HAVE
A COUGH OR A FEVER.
BUT IF WE ARE HAVING MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUES WE NEED TO TEND TO
THAT.
AGAIN, WHEN WE SAW THE RISING
SUICIDE RATES AMONG STUDENTS WE
SAID OK, THERE IS A DISCONNECT
WHERE THE CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING
THROUGH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS
BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THAT ABILITY
TO CONNECT AND SUFFER IN SILENCE
AND THAT LEADS TO WHAT ARE BAD
OUTCOMES.
THIS BILL WAS DESIGNED JUST TO
DO THAT.
TO SAY, HEY, IF YOU NEED TO TAKE
A DAY OFF, JUST AS IF YOU WAKE
UP ONE DAY AND YOU'VE GOT A
FEVER, IF YOU WAKE UP AND YOU
ARE FEELING THAT STRESS AND
PRESSURE, YOU CAN TAKE A DAY OFF
AND ATTEND TO THAT.
IF AFTER A NUMBER OF DAYS YOU'RE
STILL NOT ABLE TO GET THE HELP
YOU NEED THEN THE SCHOOL HAS THE
PERMISSION TO REFER YOU THEN TO
A COUNSELOR, A SCHOOL
PSYCHOLOGIST, A SOCIAL WORKER TO
HELP CONNECT YOU TO THE
RESOURCES SO YOU CAN ATTEND TO
THOSE ISSUES BEFORE THEY BECOME
PROBLEMATIC.
>> AND SENATOR, HOW DOES THIS
BILL INSURE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE
ARE GETTING THE SUPPORT THEY
NEED ON THE MENTAL HEALTH DAYS
AND THEY ARE NOT PLAYING HOOKIE?
>> WELL, IT DOESN'T.
AND THAT IS THE SHORT ANSWER.
I'VE BEEN ASKED THAT QUESTION A
LOT AND MY RESPONSE AND I THINK
THERE IS A FAIR AMOUNT OF
SKEPTICISM WHAT ABOUT THOSE KIDS
THAT WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT
TO WHICH I SAY IT DOESN'T
MATTER, THOSE KIDS THAT WOULD
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SKIPPING
SCHOOL ARE GOING TO DO THAT
REGARDLESS WHAT WE PUT IN THE
LAW.
THIS IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT
THE GETS THAT NEED MENTAL HEALTH
HAVE THAT ACCESS TO IT.
AND THAT CERTAINLY WAS THE
MOTIVATION IN THERE.
WE WOULD RATHER OFFER THOSE THAT
NEED THE HELP THE OPPORTUNITY TO
GET TO IT THAN PROTECT AGAINST
THOSE THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF IT EITHER WAY.
>> Dr. GILL WHAT DO YOU THINK
PARENTS, TEACHERS AND STAFF DO
TO HELP KIDS AND YOUTH FEEL MORE
COMFORTABLE COMING FORWARD ABOUT
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS AND
NEEDS?
>> YOU FIND THAT YOUTH ARE
REPORTING THAT THEY HAVE LESS
STIGMA ABOUT ACCESSING MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES.
LESS STIGMA ABOUT ASKING FOR
HELP AND SUPPORT.
HOWEVER WHEN THEY DO REACH OUT
TO ADULTS, ADULTS NEED TO HAVE
THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF EDUCATION
AND SKILLS TO HELP THEM TO
NAVIGATE SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT.
WHETHER THAT'S SCHOOL SYSTEM
THAT IS PROVIDING MENTAL HEALTH
ACCESS WITHIN THAT BUILDING OR
WHETHER THAT'S GETTING A FIRST
APPOINTMENT AT A CLINIC OR
HOSPITAL OR PRESENTING AT AN ER.
I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE
CAUTIONS OF UNDERSTANDING THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS LAW.
ESSENTIALLY WHAT WILL BE THE
STRUCTURE AND POLICIES PUT IN
PLACE BY EXPERTS AND AT THE
SCHOOL LEVEL TO INSURE THAT
YOUTH ARE GETTING THE SUPPORT
THAT THEY NEED.
BEYOND WHEN THEY CALL IN AS WELL
AS DURING THAT TIME.
>> AND TO THAT END, WHAT MORE DO
WE NEED TO BE DOING APART FROM
THIS BILL OR IN CONJUNCTION WITH
THE BILL TO INSURE THAT YOUNG
PEOPLE ARE GETTING THE MENTAL
AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT THEY NEED
ESPECIALLY RETURNING TO
IN-PERSON SCHOOL THIS YEAR?
>> WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT
SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS EVEN HERE
IN CHICAGO ARE INVESTING IN
BUILDING OUT SYSTEMS AND
SUPPORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
PEOPLE INSIDE OF THE BUILDING
ARE TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER
WHETHER THAT IS BUILDING OUT A
REFERRAL PROCESS WHERE STUDENTS
CAN SELF REFER.
THEY INDICATED IN A PILOT STUDY
THAT WAS DONE BY CHICAGO PUBLIC
SCHOOLS THEY'VE INDICATED THAT
THEY ARE INTERESTED IN REFERRING
THEMSELVES IF THEY ARE IN NEED
OF SUPPORTS.
AND JUST GETTING THE BUILDINGS
TO TALK ABOUT WHICH STUDENTS
NEED MORE SUPPORT AND HOW THEY
CAN IDENTIFY THAT.
CHICAGO IS INVESTING IN THE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAMS THAT IS
ALLOWING ADULTS TO COME TOGETHER
AND HELP TO SOLVE THAT
CHALLENGE.
>> AND THIS GOES INTO EFFECT IN
JANUARY.