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Committee Holds Hearing on School Mental Health
By Wisconsin School Administrators Alliance staff | January 5, 2016
The Senate Education Committee will hold an Informational Hearing on School Mental Health on Wednesday, January 6th (tomorrow) in Room 411 South, State Capitol. The Committee will convene at 12:00 (noon) to hold a public hearing on two bills – SB 412, relating to providing lifesaving skills instruction to pupils; and SB 494, relating to an initial teaching license based on completion of a Montessori teacher education program. The Informational Hearing will be held immediately following completion of the public hearing. (See SAA News Release here.)
You might recall that, in the School Mental Health section of the SAA’s Evidence-Based Policy Agenda (2014), we noted that too many Wisconsin children have unmet mental health needs and these unmet needs have serious negative consequences for the children, their families and our communities and schools. The SAA went on to recommend Wisconsin create a School-Linked Mental Health grant program modeled after a successful initiative launched in Minnesota.
The SAA encouraged Senator Luther Olsen, Chairman of the Senate Education Committee, to hold this informational hearing. We also worked with Senator Olsen and his staff on the slate of speakers which includes presentation teams from the Adams-Friendship, Baraboo, LaCrosse, and Menasha School Districts.
The SAA also arranged the appearance of noted school mental health expert Mark Sander. Dr. Sander is the Senior Clinical Psychologist and Mental Health Coordinator for Hennepin County (MN) and Minneapolis Public Schools. In his testimony, he will discuss the need for school-based services as well as approaches, challenges and outcomes associated with delivering mental health services in schools.
The SAA would like to thank Chairman Olsen for his leadership in raising this important issue for information and discussion before the Senate Education Committee.
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