Music Education

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A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF FEDERAL MENTAL HEALTH LEGISLATION IN THE UNITED STATES

S

Rehman Hassan, USA

Introduction

A 2022 World Health Organization report gravely emphasizes the extent to which depression and other mental health illnesses continue to plague the world, with large amounts of people being diagnosed every day [1]. Moreover, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasizes the prevalence of mental health concerns with its studies identifying that 36.7% of its nationally representative sample of adolescents having persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness and 18.8% had seriously considered attempting suicide [2]. Other reports, evaluating the same CDC data, have clearly established that over the last years, rates of mental health concerns have significantly grown[3]. This dangerous trend reflects the extent to which mental health concerns impact young people, especially, indicating that an inability to access mental health services as well as systemic inequity may cause these extremely high rates of mental health concerns[4]. This article aims to explain why these mental health inequalities may be occurring, especially among youth and how educational policy changes may allow for a better future across the world.

Mental Health Legislation and Schools Many laws allow for mental health legislation to be left up to state and local systems, which vary significantly in their extent and their applications [5] [6]. This system is especially harmful in schools which can prevent them from having the tools necessary to provide mental health support [7] [8]

This lack of legislation continues to fail youth across the world, often making it impossible to access mental health support without parental consent. In a time when mental health is so highly stigmatized, this requirement of parental consent can be especially dangerous and even impossible. Moreover, this lack of support to young people can impact school performance. In fact, mental health can be a strong indicator of academic performance[9]. This poor performance can stay within children forever 10] thus limiting future opportunities and deteriorating one’s selfimage11]. Thus, existing mental health legislation is ineffective in protecting youth from mental health challenges, sometimes even inhibiting access to mental health support. Policy Priorities

A common motif through this review seems to be the lack of centrality and accountability present in mental health legislation. This system prevents the meaningful implementation of important policies which contribute to disparities, often divided based on ideological and socioeconomic boundaries

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Another common motive is the lack of access to mental health care for youth outside of school environments. Often events of suicide among youth within the summer, when school is not in session[16]. This reflects the lack of access to mental health access outside of school environments. Thus, policy changes that emphasize the importance of preventing negative mental health events, such as suicide, without a reliance on existing school networks is importance. This means that although schools are extremely important in their role against negative mental health events, educational systems must be accountable to educate students and urge them to learn important coping strategies. By teaching children important life skills and evidence-based practices to prevent these harmful mental health situations, schools can set children up for a long life of success. Moreover, mental health legislation that educates students of coping strategies and ensures access to support networks during the summer may be especially beneficial.

Conclusion

It is imperative that steps are taken to mend future policy concerns through regulations and mandates allowing for efficient implementation of current and future laws. Future studies evaluating state laws and mandates as well as those comparing the factors that impact mental health metrics are needed for a better understanding of the best practices necessary for reversing the mental health crisis in the world.