NEW CASTLE, Del. – Governor John Carney on Wednesday, August 7, joined Speaker of the House Valerie Longhurst, Secretary of Education Mark Holodick, other elected officials, and advocates to sign two pieces of legislation that support student mental health in schools.

Governor Carney signed House Bill 200 and House Substitute 1 for House Bill 5 at William Penn High School.

“One of the most important things we can do is make sure that our students have everything they need to be successful, and that includes providing resources to support their mental health,” said Governor Carney. “This legislation will increase access to staff and services in their schools so that we can support students in and out of the classroom. I want to thank Speaker Longhurst, Senator Poore, Senator Pinkey and the members of the Delaware General Assembly for their advocacy and support of Delaware’s youth.”

“For our children to grow into happy, healthy adults, we need to ensure that they have access to all the care and resources they need. That includes mental health care. Young people in Delaware and across our country are experiencing a behavioral health crisis. We need to have an all-hands-on-deck approach to help our children and families, and Delaware has stepped up. I want to commend Speaker Longhurst,  Senators Poore and Pinkney, and other members of the General Assembly for working to ensure that our children will have the necessary prevention and intervention services,” said Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long, PhD, RN.  “Our mental health professionals often do this work behind the scenes. Their passion and dedication help youth know it is OK to not be OK and that Delaware cares. For students to thrive, we need to look at the whole child – these pieces of legislation do just that.”

“Supporting our students’ mental health is vital for our students’ readiness to learn. The challenges our students face in life don’t go away when they enter a classroom. I’m proud Delaware is investing in these important needs,” said Delaware Department of Education Secretary Mark Holodick.

By establishing a mental health services unit for Delaware high schools, House Bill 200 will lower ratios of students to counselors and increase access to mental health services for students in grades 9 through 12. House Substitute 1 for House Bill 5 expands the reimbursement of school-based behavioral health services.

“Mental health stigma is a silent killer. Being unable to address, or even talk about mental health, will only make it worsen over time. For the past several years, we as a State have made great strides in breaking the stigma surrounding mental health and have made improving our residents’ mental health a top priority. Today I am proud to show the nation that Delaware does not leave anyone behind,” said House Speaker Valerie Longhurst, prime sponsor of HB 5 and HB 200. “The signing of HB 200 today means that there is now a mental health services unit established for every K-12 public school in the State of Delaware. Mental health providers save lives. By bringing more of them to our schools, students will no longer have to sit with the feeling of helplessness, or that there is nowhere to go, because there will always be someone reaching out a hand to them.”

“Simply put, House Bill 5 increases access to critical mental health resources for some of our state’s most vulnerable students,” said Sen. Nicole Poore, Senate prime sponsor of House Bill 5. “This legislation supports both our families and our schools, ensuring that Medicaid funds are able to cover a greater portion of services.”

“As a social worker, I’m all about prevention. With the creation of a mental health services unit, we’re increasing the number of mental health professionals in Delaware high schools and prioritizing prevention for all our students,” said Sen. Marie Pinkney, prime sponsor for House Bill 200. “This legislative gives us a better opportunity to catch and treat mental health conditions among our students before they go out into the world as adults.”

“Inseparable is really gratified to see the incredible progress Delaware has made in advancing school mental health resources. Frankly, the First State is a national leader,” said Angela Kimball, Chief Advocacy Officer, Inseparable. “It’s never been more important to support our youth. Every day, every hour, students are struggling and so are the staff who are serving them. This was an important day that showed what true leadership can accomplish.”

For youth mental health resources, visit de.gov/notalone or www.helpisherede.com.

For help with a youth’s mental health or substance use crisis, call the Mobile Response and Stabilization Service at 1-800-969-HELP (4357) or text/call/chat 988. For life threatening emergencies, call 911.

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