That the Senate recognizes the importance of mental health among youth in the United States, and that in order to increase awareness for mental health care for children and adolescents, the Federal Government must work collaboratively to—
encourage States, local educational agencies, schools, and community organizations to support children, youth, and students experiencing mental health challenges at all grade levels by—
improving the professional development given to educators so that educators are better equipped to—
support student well-being through evidence-based prevention strategies; and
respond to signs and symptoms of mental health disorders among students that educators are in direct contact with;
recognizing that young children often go misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or face stigma when it comes to mental health disorders, and therefore lack adequate services and support when dealing with mental health challenges and crises;
raising awareness for high-quality school- and campus-based mental health services that are evidence-based and trauma-informed; and
evaluating the preservation of continuity of care for students whose treatment is interrupted;
recognize that mental health and physical health are intertwined and can be treated through integrated care services, and that age is not a determinant for experiencing a mental health disorder, in that children can face mental health challenges even in early childhood;
recognize the urgency for increasing public knowledge of mental health disorders by encouraging Federal, State, and local institutions to disseminate robust resources regarding the effects and available treatment options for various mental health disorders;
address the stigmas associated with mental health challenges by urging States to adopt peer-to-peer mental health treatment models that prioritize community-based care;
create a comprehensive strategy to contact isolated communities with little access to knowledge about and resources for supporting young people experiencing mental health disorders; and
address and prevent adverse childhood experiences, including previous childhood trauma, and other childhood and family risk factors that can lead to involvement in the justice and child welfare systems.