Recognizing the youth mental health crisis in the Mountain West, some states are debating bills that address the problem from both inside and outside of schools.
Colorado state is sponsoring two such bills. provides funding to train teachers and administrators in mental health first aid.
鈥淛ust like we have CPR first aid training, we would like to have that same type of emphasis as relates to behavioral health,鈥� Fields said.
She wants school personnel to be trained to recognize when a student is at risk for depression or suicide.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not asking for teachers or administrators to diagnose or treat,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e just saying we鈥檙e seeing signs in someone that used to be happy one day and now all of a sudden they鈥檙e demonstrating behaviors that just seem like they need some help.鈥�
Her expands the definition for excused absences to include mental health disturbances.
鈥淟et鈥檚 say you are sad because you lost your dog or you lost your grandma or you saw something traumatic in your home,鈥� she says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 not an opportunity to recognize a behavioral health illness as an excused absence.鈥�
Fields says we still need resources to employ more mental health workers in schools. But she says these efforts are a start towards identifying and making space for young people鈥檚 struggles.
While the bills have bipartisan support, Fields acknowledges there could be some pushback due to the cost of mental health training, which could reach $1 million per year.
The Mountain West suffers some of the highest rates of youth suicide rates in the county鈥攊n some communities as much as two to three times the national average.
This story was produced by the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUER in Salt Lake City, KUNR in Nevada, the O鈥機onnor Center For the Rocky Mountain West in Montana, and KRCC and KUNC in Colorado.
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