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Parents have many factors to consider when choosing a school or school district for their children, such as quality of education, social opportunities, and location. It can be difficult to decide.
And if your child’s mental health is a priority for your family, you might want to add one more consideration to the list: Does the school allow mental health days for its students?
Like new Research At Verywell Mind and Parents, 60% of parents of children aged 8 to 17 say the pandemic has at least affected their child’s mental health. In addition, more than a third of parents have noticed changes in mood and behavior in their children, and 37% notice that their child has difficulty socializing.
And nearly half of parents listed school as the biggest stressor for both their kids:
- School – 47%
- Misconceptions – 40%
- Friendship – 39%
- Covid-19/Pandemic – 38%
- Identity – 31%
- Social Media – 31%
77% of parents feel they have a positive impact if they allow their child to take mental health days. Instead of a normal school day, children spend the day talking about their feelings, spending time in nature or relaxing.
And in response to this mental health crisis, more and more states are proposing and passing legislation. Allow mental health days for students in public schools.
States like Washington and California recognize mental health as a valid reason to miss a school day. And starting in January 2022, public schools in Illinois must allow students to take up to five mental health days per year.
Similar bills have been introduced in New York, Maryland, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
12 states that allow mental health days for students
- Washington: A new law passed in June 2022 allows students to use mental or behavioral health reasons as valid reasons for an absence.
- CaliforniaGov. Gavin Newsom signed a Senate bill in 2021 that would allow students to be absent from school due to mental or behavioral health issues and count the absence as a missed school day.
- IllinoisSchools in the state must allow students to take up to five mental health days each year starting Jan. 1, 2022.
- VirginiaIn the year In 2019, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation that would allow students to request mental health for an actual reason for their absence.
- MaineGovernor Janet Mills signed legislation in 2020 that would allow students to allocate days off from school for mental and behavioral health.
- ConnecticutUnder the 2021 law, all students are allowed to take two mental health days off school per year, as long as the days are not consecutive.
- OregonThe state passed a law in 2019 allowing students to take up to five days off school in a three-month period, including mental health days and regular sick days.
- ArizonaAccording to the school district, students may be allowed to take mental health days the same way they take sick days starting in February 2021.
- Nevada: Beginning in 2021, students ages 7-18 in the state may miss a day of school due to mental health if a mental or behavioral health professional issues a note.
- UtahIn May 2021, the state began tracking mental or behavioral health as an excused absence for all students.
- Kentucky: After Governor Beshear signed a new bill in April 2022, mental health days were considered excused absences.
- ColoradoIn 2020, school district attendance requirements in the state changed to include a policy allowing excused absences for behavioral health issues, giving students the opportunity to take mental health days.
74% of parents surveyed think schools should offer mental health days for students, but more than 30 states still don’t recognize it as an excused absence.
The list includes North Carolina, New Jersey, Georgia and Missouri.
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