(Photo Source: nbcnews)

Middle Schoolers Will Be Required To Take Mental Health Class

Starting in sixth grade, Florida schoolchildren will get educated about mental health. Florida health officials decided to start paying more attention to the mental health of kids after the school shooting at Parkland High School in February of 2018. Children will learn about online bullying, suicide prevention, and drug and alcohol abuse and its impact on the mind.

“Obviously, this is going to help students who are currently suffering from mental health issues, you know, thoughts of suicide, attempts of suicide. But the thing that is going to be the best thing is that it is going to reduce the stigma and it is going to educate the other healthy students who can identify folks within their peer group who are going through this,” said Ben Gibson, a member of the state board of education.

Florida’s first lady, Casey DeSantis, wife of governor Rick DeSantis, championed the mental health program and lobbied to have it adopted by school districts. After the Parkland shooting, DeSantis conducted “listening” sessions around the state to hear what parents and students needed from their schools.

“We are being proactive in our commitment to provide our kids with the necessary tools to see them through their successes and challenges,” DeSantis said. “Providing mental health instruction is another important step forward in supporting our families.”