New legislation in Harrisburg could allow K-12 students up to three mental health days
HARRISBURG (KDKA) - Students in Pennsylvania may soon be allowed to take "mental health days."
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives Education Committee voted on Thursday to send the bill that would provide students in Pennsylvania with those days to the cull chamber.
Introduced by Rep. Napoleon Nelson of Montgomery County in eastern Pennsylvania, he said in a memo to the House, that challenges, specifically those exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, make this legislation necessary.
"Few challenges are as urgent or pressing as the lasting impact of stress and emotional duress on our students," his memo read. "According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the pandemic negatively affected the mental health of many children and youth, creating even more public awareness of this pre-existing problem."
The bill, if passed, would allow students to take up to three mental health days during the school year without a doctor's excuse.
You can read the full text of the bill at this link.