Breaking the Stigma: Addressing Mental Health as a State or Local Elected
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Improving support for mental health isn’t just about the work of activists and health care professionals: elected officials at the state and local level also have the power to provide resources to address mental health in schools, in local communities, and across their state.
If you care about mental health and want to make a difference, take a look at the impact you can make as an elected official.
School Board
Legally, all public and private schools, school districts, colleges and universities receiving federal funds must comply with Title IX rules. Title IX specifically addresses gender discrimination, sexual harrassment, and mental health services. But did you know that most schools do not have a Title IX coordinator? As a member of your school board, you have the power to implement a Title IX coordinator that will assist in providing mental health resources for students and trainings for educators. As a school board member, you can also build out a mental health curriculum within general health education and ensure that students are informed on the importance of mental wellness and the steps to take if they need guidance.
City Council
City council members have a direct hand in determining the allocation of funding for special projects and services in a district, county, town, or city. As a member of your city council, you can push for mental health resources such as free clinics, substance abuse programs that focus on mental health support, crisis lines, and the creation of city therapists community centers. In addition to this, you also have the ability to increase funding for your city’s department of health mental services staff or fund community programs that provide education on mental health.
State Legislature
State legislators have the power to pass sweeping reforms that address mental health from both a social and economic lens. As a state legislator you can introduce policies to make mental health education in schools mandatory; pass bills to increase funding for mental health services in high risk communities; allocate more money for city mental health care providers; and set aside funding to build intervention services for families struggling with mental health.
Library Commissioner or Library Trustee
Libraries are the center of knowledge, and one of the core foundations of mental health support is education. As an elected library official, you have the power to ensure that books and digital information on mental health are well-stocked in your district’s library. You also have the power to build programs within your library system that educate the public on mental health, mental health services, and where to go to receive support.
