State representative pushing for mental, behavioral telehealth resources in schools
ATLANTA - There's a push to provide thousands of Georgia students with additional resources for their mental health.
A lawmaker wants the state to develop guidelines for telehealth services in public schools.
State Rep. Sandra Scott said the pandemic continues to have an impact on students' mental and emotional health.
She recently introduced legislation in the Georgia General Assembly that she hopes will provide students with more access to mental health professionals who can address their feelings.
"We do not have enough psychologists," she said.
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House Bill 9 would require the Georgia Department of Education to work with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to create guidelines for mental and behavioral telehealth services in public schools and school-related functions.
"The National Association of School Psychologists recommends a ratio of one school psychologist for everyone one thousand students. In Georgia, right now, it's one per 2,400."
For almost a year now, thousands of students are still learning from home.
Others have returned to the classroom but with many new safety measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
"Throughout the pandemic, students have dealt with feelings of isolation, increased responsibility of caring for their family members, changes in income, death," Rep. Scott explained.
She went on to say providing kids with flexible telehealth resources will help them cope with anxiety, depression, and other mood-altering problems.
"It's a resource that's been needed," Georgia State University freshman Hannah Lucas explained.
It's a resource she said would have helped during her senior year at South Forsyth High School.
"It was rough, not gonna lie. I was feeling that sense of grief from losing the most important parts of my senior year. I was feeling isolated because I wasn't able to see my friends," Lucas explained.
HB-9 would require several guidelines including qualification requirements for anyone who provides mental and behavioral telehealth services.
Lucas believes having additionally trained professionals readily available for students will help them navigate through this pandemic that continues to disrupt so many lives.
"Sometimes kids just need to be listened to and they need a safe space to be heard, loved, and accepted. It just isn't that in a lot of schools," she explained.
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