RICHMOND, Va. – When it comes to baseball, football, or basketball. If your child plays sports, they might have to get a mental health checkup soon before they can join the team.
Right now, the bill is moving through the General Assembly.
Sen. Stella Pekarsky (D) 36th District said, “Let’s add a simple mental health screening as part of this sports physical process.”
Sen. Pekarsky says that our young people are having a huge problem with their mental health. Now she’s looking for ways to spot any warning signs that a lot of kids might show.
The bill says that no public elementary or secondary school student can be on a team or try out for any team unless they have a signed report from a qualified professional saying that they had an evaluation of their physical and mental health.
“This bill won’t change whether or not a student can play sports; the information won’t be shared with the schools; it’s just a simple question of ‘Did this student-athlete complete the sports physical and the mental health screener?’” Yes. “That’s all there is to it,” Pekarsky said.
Jonathan Young, a board member for Richmond Public Schools, said that he saw the attempt but still doesn’t agree with the bill.
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“Putting up some kind of barrier to stop students is not the right thing to do,” Young said. “I understand what you mean. Even though the idea behind it is good, as someone who works with kids all day, I can say that it’s not the best way to do things.
Young said that even though students will still be able to play on a team, it will be harder for parents to get an evaluation done since schools already have a lot of mental health tools.
If a problem does come up, Sen. Pekarsky said it would be between the practitioner and the parent or guardian. As Sen. Pekarsky put it, “it’s just one more tool in the box to make sure that any red flags are picked up as soon as possible, and we can help our kids before things get out of hand,”
Sen. Pekarsky said that the bill was sent to the full committee with a suggestion that it be passed. She says that it will be passed next week.
Information source: 12onyourside
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