[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 22748]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  MENTAL HEALTH IN SCHOOLS ACT OF 2007

  (Mrs. NAPOLITANO asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. NAPOLITANO. How quickly we forget.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce the Mental Health Schools Act of 
2007, which proposes to expand access to school-based mental health 
services. It would provide grants to local school districts or 
coalitions of schools, health providers and communities. It would 
identify students in need of immediate mental health care on site, 
require schools to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate 
training for students, parents and members of the community.
  The statistics we have learned in the last few years are alarming, 
and they tell an alarming truth. Childhood mental illnesses affect 
nearly one in five adolescents. One in three Latina adolescents 
contemplate suicide. The time for action was a long time ago, and we 
need to move forward on this. The need for mental health services has 
never been greater.
  Enacting this legislation will be a great benefit to our society. It 
would allow mental health professionals to care for our kids in need of 
immediate health and allow our teachers to concentrate on teaching.

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