Increased Funding of Mental Health Services in Schools

According to the CDC, mental health is our, “ emotional, psychological, and social well-being” (CDC, 2018). Mental health can affect many aspects in a person's life including the way they think, feel, and act. How someone thinks, acts, and feels can have a great affect on how they handle things in their everyday life especially if those thoughts, feelings and actions are coming from a negative place. In schools there are programs and classes put in place to promote good physical health such as gym class, health class, and physical activity based after school programs but, there are rarely spaces in school to talk about and promote the importance of good mental health. Being able to talk about mental health and having the proper support when struggling with a mental illness can have a very positive affect on someone's life. Since having good mental health is just as important as having good physical health, why are schools not focusing on providing support and education for mental health like they do for physical health. Schools need to have more accountability to provide resources for promoting positive mental health practices for students and teachers through programs, funding, and outreach to help erase the stigma regarding mental illness.