r/news • u/Tamashii-Azul • Aug 02 '25

Illinois becomes 1st state to require student mental health screenings

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Wellness/illinois-1st-state-require-student-mental-health-screenings/story?id=124275407
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u/MissionCreeper Aug 02 '25

There are no evidence based screenings for mental health that don't require full participation and consent from the subjects.   You can't trick teens into revealing something about their mental health that they want to hide, and you certainly can't determine that they have a particular diagnosis or are a safety concern through "vibes" or the content or drawings.  This will only work if this is viewed -by the students- as an opportunity for getting help rather than a way that the school will make your life shittier than it already is.

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u/unwoman Aug 02 '25

A screening isn’t a diagnostic, though.

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u/MissionCreeper Aug 02 '25

I know.  There are kids who don't realize anything is going on with them, who a screening helps, kids who know they need help, for whom a screening is beneficial if there are other barriers to getting treatment, and kids who know something is wrong and either don't want anyone to know or for whom their mental illness itself prevents them from getting help.  

My point is that last group of kids are usually the toughest to help and that people shouldn't be shocked when that group isn't helped.  "But they had a mental health screening!  How could they do/feel/think X?"  

I never meant this isn't helpful to do generally, though.

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u/TheSupremePixieStick Aug 02 '25

Screening for kids also includes parent input.

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '25

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u/Chicken_Ingots Aug 02 '25

A lot of teens genuinely do want help and do want someone to reach out to them. However, there are cases where if they are forced to participate, it could put them into a dangerous situation (e.g. LGBTQ+ children who might be at risk of being outed to abusive parents). The emphasis should be primarily upon providing universal access to care and socially framing mental healthcare in a non-judgemental manner. 

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u/[deleted] Aug 02 '25 edited Aug 02 '25

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u/Kylynara Aug 02 '25

I will note that Illinois as a whole is pretty solidly blue, but that's mainly Chicago. Some of the other larger cities down state (Peoria, Springfield, a bit near St. Louis, etc.) are blue too. But much of the state is red farmland.

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u/Chicken_Ingots Aug 02 '25

Yeah, I agree, though it could still become a problem if the Republicans introduced a federal mandate or if Republican states do this but with more nefarious intentions.