We've come a long way in the last 10 years when it comes to raising mental health awareness and advocating for its care. But in a lot of ways, the conversation still tends to focus on adults, rather than kids younger than 18. In Oregon, a group of teens hopes to change that — starting with successfully getting lawmakers to pass a bill allowing "mental health days" for students.
The move is particularly significant for Oregon, which has had some of the highest suicide rates in the nation for the last 30 years.
The teen advocates — who include Sam Adamson, Lori Riddle, Hailey Hardcastle, and Derek Evans — hope that by giving students this option, it might help break down the stigma surrounding mental health, according to NPR.
Previously, an excusable sick day absence would only apply to a physical illness, a family member's physical illness, a medical appointment, or a personal emergency.
Now, students can take off for mental health-related reasons if they need to -- without getting penalized.
Of course, there are some limitations in place. According to NPR, House Bill 2191 allows students up to five excused absences over a three-month period. If more are needed, then excused absences require a handwritten note sent to the principal.
As news of the law makes its way around social media, opinions as to whether it's "progressive" or "coddling" vary widely.
"Pretty soon youâll be able to take 'I donât wanna go days,'" wrote one Twitter user.
"Do they get a trophy too??" wrote another.
"Good luck in dealing with life in the future," added one person. "Learning to cope, not run, is the key."
But many others applauded the new law and thought the naysayers were missing the point — not to mention lacking some compassion.
"With the anxiety and depression I had when I was in school because of deaths of family members and constant bullying, I certainly could have used some of these," wrote one woman. "Still live with anxiety and am lucky I can take the occasional sick day as a mental health day."
"Shocking to see, from the comments, most people still don't realize mental health is JUST AS IMPORTANT as physical health," wrote one Twitter user.Â
And to those who were bashing Oregon over this — calling them a bunch of "snowflakes" — many pointed out that it's actually not the first state to implement such a thing.
"For the people who didn't read … Utah also has a similar law," wrote one woman. "Utah … one of the most conservatives states in the country."
Proponents of the bill say it isn't about getting out of class -- it's about ending the stigma surrounding mental health and lowering suicide rates.
"The bottom line is that we're just trying to save lives and keep students healthy," one of the teen advocates shared with KPTV.
And that very real — and noble — mission shouldn't be taken lightly. After all, suicide remains the second-leading cause of death among teens in Oregon, and it continues to be a pressing issue nationwide. In fact, a report issued just last month found that suicide rates among teens and young adults is at an all-time high, with a sharp increase noted among teen boys.
âI donât think it is an exaggeration at all to say that we have a mental health crisis among adolescents in the U.S.,â San Diego State University psychologist Jean Twenge told the LA Times in June.
Twenge also pointed out that teens and young adults have become significantly more depressed in the last 10 years, suffering "higher levels of psychological distress than their predecessors," according to the Times.Â
Just what, exactly, is at the root of it all is still something researchers and psychologists aren't quite sure of. But certainly, given all the evidence, we have to acknowledge that there is a growing, sweeping problem here. That makes all the tweets and Facebook comments callously laughing off Oregon's mental health days all the more problematic.
In fact, many are praising the bill's message, and calling for more where that came from.
"This is an AMAZING step forward in the RIGHT direction!" wrote one woman on Facebook. "Mental health is so important but the last thing people take care of. This is going to greatly impact the lives of students."
"Now we need better health insurance to cover mental health," another woman added. "We need more facilities that can help these teens get to the bottom of their problems. We need help for the bullies and the victims. We need this for schools and work places. A lot of employers donât want to deal with it."
The bill, which Gov. Kate Brown signed into law, will reportedly take effect at the start of the school year. Here's hoping only good things come from the new policy and that it opens up dialogue for more mental health support and awareness, which so many kids desperately need.
