According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, many mental health conditions most often develop during adolescence. Half of those with mental illness experience onset by the age of 14. One in every five teens have a mental health condition and more than half of those do not receive needed attention for their conditions. If mental illnesses are undiagnosed and untreated, it can negatively affect a student’s ability to learn, grow and develop. Since teens spend a majority of their time at schools, this would be the perfect place to help identify any mental health problems. Teachers and other school workers can help identify early warning signs of a mental illness and provide help to the student.

There are programs that bring trained mental health professionals into schools to provide school-based mental services. These professionals can then link students and their families to resources in the community to find the proper help they need. Having mental health professionals on sight can also help reduce confusion about the stigma revolving around mental illness.

Bringing mental health professionals to spot early signs of mental illness would cost schools money, of course. The Mental Health in Schools Act was introduced to the House in 2015. This bill provides federal funding to schools to support the training of school staff on mental health related issues and to create links between schools and community mental health systems.

Not only should the students and staff be educated on mental health related issues, but students should as well. There are many resources on the internet providing information to students about mental health and how to recognize symptoms in themselves and others. Such presentations can guide students to the proper help they deserve and decide which course of action to take. Through mental health education students can learn the proper way to deal with and cope with it. Students will be able to see the reality of living with a mental illness through learning about it, bettering their understanding and hopefully providing help to many.