Mental Health Testing of All Children Under 19!
House Bill 1302 sponsored by Representative Cherrish Pryor could lead to the mental health testing of all children in
For over 20 years Advance America has opposed previous efforts at the Sate House to pass legislation to identify, screen and test all of the children of Indiana for potential future behavioral, psychological, emotional and other problems because these efforts are merely an attempt to funnel thousands of children into mental health services.
House Bill 1302 would require procedures to be set up “for schools to screen, identify and assess a child and to refer a child and the child’s family to participate in the behavioral health program.” Thousands of children could be funneled into mental health programs and other services!
Additional Concerns For Children and Families!
- What if the child’s parents refuse to have their child participate in a mental health or social service program? Will they be referred to the welfare department?
- There is no provision to insure that any mental health screening, evaluation or assessment of the child at the school would only be done after the parents are properly informed and the parents give their written permission.
- Will all schools including Christian schools be required to participate? What if they refuse to screen, evaluate and assess the children in the school?
- This appears to be another attempt to label children for the rest of their lives and to get them involved in the mental health and social service system where they can receive “appropriate treatment!”
Advance
Just as we have done in the past, Advance America will lead the opposition, working with State Representatives in both parties, to defeat House Bill 1302.
Working together we can protect the children of