OPINION: The breaking point: Why mental health education can't wait

The mental health crisis among Alaska’s youth has reached a breaking point. According to a recent study by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, nearly one in five high school students in our state have seriously considered attempting suicide. Rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses have skyrocketed over the past decade, with more students struggling than ever before. Yet for too long, our education system hasn’t provided young Alaskans with the mental health knowledge and skills they desperately need.

Senate Bill 24 seeks to change that by joining 20 other states in encouraging public schools to provide comprehensive mental health education. Mental health will be taught in conjunction with existing health curriculum, that includes but isn’t limited to physical health, neglect and dental health. The Center for Disease Control defines mental health: “Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others and make healthy choices.”

Mental health education does not include referrals, diagnosis and/or treatment. This vital legislation encourages age-appropriate lessons teaching students how to recognize common mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, how and where to seek help for themselves or others, and important coping strategies for building resilience and emotional well-being. Research shows such mental health literacy education significantly reduces stigma surrounding mental illness and gives youth the tools to understand and support themselves and their peers.

SB 24 ensures that districts can choose whether their schools have the capacity to implement new mental health curriculum — giving school districts more control over schools in their jurisdiction. Additionally, the bill provides parents with extra safeguards that include the ability to withdraw their student(s) from mental health education, review class content before mental health classes, and work with stakeholders to help guide the development of mental health guidelines.

During the current legislative session and past sessions, through public testimony and conversations with legislators across party lines, young people have bravely shared their struggles and losses. They have spoken of friends lost to suicide, of silently suffering with untreated conditions, and of their desire to help end the shame and silence around mental illness. Students from rural villages and urban centers alike made the multi-hour trek to Juneau to ensure their voices were heard on this issue. After hearing directly from Alaska’s students, the need for SB24 to become law is vitally important and our obligation.

Alaska’s youth mental health crisis cannot wait. Each day without critical knowledge, more young lives are put at risk. Senate Bill 24 is a compassionate, commonsense solution supported by experts and, most importantly, the students themselves. In this time of need, the Alaska Legislature must act. For the tens of thousands of children depending on us, there cannot be delay — mental health education in our schools must become a priority. Our students deserve nothing less than the opportunity to understand themselves, support each other, and get help staying mentally well.

As the bill continues to move through the legislative process, we are hopeful that the Legislature will act quickly to ensure the passage of this much needed bill.

Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson, Rep. C.J. McCormick and Rep. Stanley Wright are members of the Alaska Legislature. Sen. Gray Jackson and Rep. Wright live in Anchorage; Rep. McCormick lives in Bethel.

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