ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — An overwhelming number of parents support mental health education in schools and “mental health days” for their children, according to a poll out today conducted by Ipsos on behalf of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). The same poll found that 44% of parents of children 17 and younger report being concerned about their children’s mental health, but far fewer (16%) looked for help for them.

The poll’s release comes in the wake of a Surgeon General Advisory aimed at addressing the youth mental health crisis.

“NAMI’s poll finds that parents are deeply concerned about their children’s mental health and, importantly, understand the value of mental health awareness and treatment,” said NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. “It’s encouraging to see such strong support for mental health education in schools and mental health days for students. That’s why NAMI has youth educational programming like NAMI Ending the Silence and advocates for better mental health resources in schools.”

“But despite parents’ confidence in their ability to recognize the signs of mental health conditions in their children, there is a worrying gap between those who have concerns and those who actually look for help,” Gillison said. “We encourage parents to seek help for their children if they see signs that concern them.”

While 84% of parents say their children showed a lot of resilience during the pandemic, more than a third of parents (35%) are thinking more about their children’s mental health than before. While most parents report few changes in their kids’ activities and behaviors since the pandemic began, many of the changes that were reported were negative: 41% spend more time on screens, 25% play or exercise less, 37% participate less in school activities, and 16% are getting less sleep.

As previously mentioned, there is broad support among parents for mental health education in schools. The poll revealed that 87% of parents somewhat or strongly support mental health education in schools. The poll also found that 70% of all parents voiced support for mental health days for students. Notably, 89% of parents say their child’s mental health matters more than their academic achievement.

For more resources on mental health and young people,visit nami.org/youth.

Methodology:This poll was conducted Nov. 9–17, 2021, by Ipsos, on behalf of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), using the KnowledgePanel^®. It is based on a representative sample of 1,010 U.S. adults (ages 18 and over), who are parents to children 0–17 years old. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. Join the conversation at  nami.org | facebook.com/nami | instagram.com/namicommunicate | twitter.com/namicommunicate #Together4MH

SOURCE National Alliance on Mental Illness

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The memory of this tragic loss of life haunted Assistant Police Chief Ronnie Morris for the last two decades. Morris decided to use his expertise in criminal justice to do something about the teen dating violence problem. 

Morris worked with Dallas Democratic Sen. Royce West to craft legislation called The Christine Blubaugh Act. This bill required Texas students to receive four to six hours of education about dating violence in junior high and high school. 

Both Republicans and Democrats supported the efforts to protect Texas children and increase awareness of dating violence. The Christine Blubaugh Act, Senate Bill 1109, coasted through Congress passing with bipartisan support. 

Unfortunately, this bipartisan bill designed to help prevent teen dating violence did not make it past Governor Abbott’s desk.

In his official veto, Governor Abbott stated that the bill “fails to recognize the right of parents to opt their children out of the instruction.”

The Christine Blubaugh Act, Senate Bill 1109, was titled, “Relating to requiring public schools to provide instruction and materials and adopt policies relating to the prevention of child abuse, family violence, and dating violence.”

A bipartisan group of Texas legislators sponsored the bill. 

1. Senator Royce West, Democrat District 23, Dallas 
2. Representative Rafael Anchia, Democrat District 103, Dallas 
3. Senator Carol Alvarado, Democrat District 6, Houston 
4. Senator Kelly Hancock, Republican District 9, Fort Worth
5. Senator José Menéndez, Democrat, Distric 23, San Antonio
6. Senator Charles Perry, Republican, District 28, South Texas

How big a problem is teen dating violence?

As an Obstetrician-Gynecologist in Irving, Texas, I often see victims of unhealthy relationships and dating violence. For 22 years, I have worked with teenagers and the local school districts to help empower young women. 

There is scientific data to support my anecdotal experience. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention tracks intimate partner and sexual violence in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Data shows:

• Nearly 1 in 11 female and approximately 1 in 14 male high school students report having experienced physical dating violence in the last year.
• About 1 in 8 female and 1 in 26 male high school students report having experienced sexual dating violence in the last year.
• 26% of women and 15% of men experienced sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner before age 18.

Dating violence can take many forms. In my experience, some patients recognize when they are in an abusive situation, but many fail to see the red flags until it is too late.

Abuse may occur in person, but many teens find themselves in dangerous situations online and through social media platforms like Snapchat. For example, the 2019 YRBSS shows 14% of teens have sent nude photos through sexting. These photos can be shared across the internet. 

CDC categorizes dating violence into four categories:

• Physical violence
• Sexual violence
• Psychological aggression
• Stalking

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention tracks data regarding adolescent health risks through school-based surveys. This data set, the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey, contains national analytics and local data. 

The data shows 8.2% of US high school students experienced sexual dating violence. 

Dating violence is trending downward in Texas, but 5.4% of teens report sexual dating violence. 

The Christine Blubaugh Act SB 1109 asks school districts to educate students about warning signs of dating violence. Students would have learned how common it is and what to do if they are victims of physical or sexual abuse. 

Published evidence from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention demonstrates that intervention and education starting in middle school can reduce the incidence of dating violence. 

The CDC tested a project called Dating Matters in school districts in Baltimore, Chicago, Oakland, and Ft. Lauderdale. 

Students in grades 6–8 performed an annual survey to track the impact of the Dating Matters program. 

The data shows a middle school educational program can have a dramatic impact on students. The students reported lower levels of dating violence and victimization. 

The CDC data also showed the junior high students participating in Dating Matters reported a lower level of other at-risk behaviors such as: 

• Bullying 
• Cyberbullying 
• Physical violence perpetration
• Weapon carrying
• Alcohol and substance use
• Delinquency
• Sexual violence perpetration and sexual violence victimization (females only), and
• Sexual harassment within and outside of dating relationship

The Christine Blubaugh Act, Senate Bill 1109, did not mandate Texas to use the CDC Dating Matters program. Still, this scientific evidence demonstrates how early intervention and education can impact student outcomes. 

Governor Abbott vetoed the bill because it lacked an option for parents to opt their children out of learning about healthy relationships, abuse, and violence. 

But all young people deserve the chance to learn the red flags of unhealthy relationships. In my experience in my medical practice, unhealthy relationships, physical violence, and sexual violence transcend religious, socioeconomic, and racial disparities. We screen every patient for signs of abuse. 

Increasing public awareness of the prevalence of dating violence can help protect young people from becoming future victims. 

After her abusive boyfriend murdered Christine Blubaugh, South Grand Prairie High School named a tennis tournament in her honor. Texas could have honored her memory through The Christine Blubaugh Act. 

This bipartisan public health education program could have saved lives and prevented future tragedies.

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