ACTION ALERT:
Contact Members of the Arizona House!
We need your support and advocacy. SB1376 is a simple, common sense bill that directs the state board of education to require all health education include mental health instruction as a component. SB 1376 acknowledges the fundamental truth that there is no health without mental health.
SB 1376 is about equipping children with critical life skills that will enable them to live happy, healthy and productive lives. Requiring mental health instruction and social and emotional learning will help students develop a framework from which to understand their mental health, form healthy relationships, manage emotions, make responsible decisions, build resiliency, and establish coping skills to adapt to change and adversity.
Unfortunately, despite only needing one final vote by the House of Representatives after near unanimous support in the Senate, the bill has not moved since the middle of March. The legislative session is likely to wind down quickly, and without much warning, sometime in the next couple of weeks and we need you to urge legislators to ensure the bill receives a third read vote and their support.
As we continue to experience the ripple effects from the COVID19 pandemic, including a significant rise in depression and anxiety, mental health education will be more important than ever. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and SB 1376 is one significant and important step toward real and immediate change. This legislation is long over-due. We cannot allow mental health issues to live in the shadow of stigma where they may grow and fester in isolation leading to tragic outcomes like suicide. Our children deserve to begin life in a society in which understanding and caring for our mental health is normalized. Click here for a list of House Members.
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