Bill to protect mental health for Illinois college students was passed in 2019; some lawmakers say it's about time to fund it
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A push to help protect the mental health of Illinois college students has been gummed up in bureaucracy for years, and now, some lawmakers actually want to pay for programs they mandated years ago.
But as CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov reported Wednesday, it is not a done deal.
Cree Medley, 24, has struggled with depression and anxiety for as long as she can remember.
"When I got to college, that's sort of where it got at its worst," Medley said.
It got so bad that Medley said started self-harming, and got into an abusive relationship.
"By the beginning of my sophomore year of college, I was really struggling – and that November, I attempted suicide," Medley said.
In crisis, Medley said she sought help from the Disability Resource Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago. It took her weeks to get an appointment, and several more months finally to hook up with a therapist.
"Students all over Illinois are asking for help on college campuses, but, you know, the help is not there," said Illinois state Rep. LaShawn Ford (D-Chicago).
Ford is one of several Illinois lawmakers pushing Springfield to approve $19 million to pay for more mental health services at Illinois' public universities. Ford and mental health professionals say data show the need is critical – and the pandemic only made things worse.
For one example, a recent American Council on Education Survey found three-fourths of all university presidents ranked student mental health as a top-five concern.
But setting aside the $19 million now would actually be finishing something the state started back in 2019, when lawmakers passed the Mental Health Early Action Act. The legislation requires public universities – of which UIC is one – provide targeted and increased mental health services for students.
However, back then, the state didn't fund it.
"I think we failed our college students by not funding this earlier," said Rep. Ford.
So does Medley. She even spoke to lawmakers in a closed hearing about why this is so important.
"I told them that it was a life-or-death issue," Medley said.
The $19 million appropriation started out a standalone bill. It is now a line item in the proposed state budget, which means if the budget passes, this appropriation passes too.
Lawmakers are expected to vote on the budget in two weeks.