Question

Based on the health-related bill Mental health services for students act of 2019, develop a 1- to 2-page Legislation Testimony/Advocacy Statement that addresses the following:

Advocate a position for the bill you selected and write testimony in support of your position.

Describe how you would address the opponent to your position. Be specific and provide examples.

Recommend at least one amendment to the bill in support of your position.

Answer 1

The Mental health services for students act of 2019 is a programme for the student welfare where through the act provide funding for the public schools across the country and there is a partnership with the local mental health professionals to establish on-site mental health care services for students.

Through the Mental health services for students act of 2019 it will :

• Help to provide professional help for the youth who suffer from some form of mental illness

• Addressing mental health problems when students are young, instead of waiting until they have drifted into drug use, crime, depression, or suicide

• Keeping costs low, because mental health costs are very little compared to the costs placed on social services and the prison system when mental health is neglected

• Saving lives, by funding school employed or community employed mental health professionals who help prevent suicide by identifying at-risk youth and counselling students before their problems spiral out of control.

The number of children affected by mental health issues is great, and the cost of counselling them is low – especially compared to the harm caused by suicide, crime, and lifetimes of missed opportunities. With the Mental Health Services for Students Act, thousands of children can be assisted with treatable mental health issues, opening up new possibilities for themselves and their families.

“The Mental Health Services for Students Act builds on the great success of our youth suicide prevention program through the raising mental health awareness, reducing harmful stigma, and connecting our future leaders to life-saving care, Improved access to services for prevention, early identification, and intervention has helped countless youth in our communities thrive in school, at home, and in life, and it is a model that should be expanded to serve families across America.”

Early intervention and preventative mental health programming are vital to treating and building better lives for the many children and families nationwide whose lives are impacted by mental illness.”