Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health

Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health
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Introduction
Supporting young people in maintaining emotional well-being is crucial in today’s rapidly evolving society. Rep. Josh Harder (R-Ariz.) proposed H.R.3055, or the “Improving Mental Health in Schools Act,” in the 118th Congress (Congress, 2023). This law, while still in its infancy, has the potential to alter our approach to mental health education in schools, thereby better equipping today’s youth to face the challenges of the modern world.
Purpose Statement
This law aims to improve mental health support services in our elementary and high school schools (Congress, 2023). The goal is to foster a classroom setting that encourages children’s intellectual and emotional growth.
Discussion
Part 1: Legislation Grid
Description
The prime description of this piece of law is to effectively address the widespread mental health difficulties that are prevalent within educational institutions (Congress, 2023). This can be possible with the overarching objective of enhancing the overall welfare of children as its fundamental focus.
Legislative Intent of the Bill
The primary objective of the legislation is to enhance mental health programs and services in educational institutions. The legislative intent of this initiative is to ensure more financial sources for establishing all-encompassing programs and distributing resources to enable educational institutions to cater to the mental health issues of their students (Congress, 2023). This includes identifying, seeking treatment for, and stopping the onset of mental health disorders.
The Proponents/Opponents of the Bill
Since the bill is in its infancy, it does not currently have acknowledged opponents in the legislative process. This indicates that Representative Harder is the sole proponent of this bill at this moment in time. However, it must be remembered that proponents of economic development from the opposition can further their causes by opposing the bill. As the bill progresses through the legislative process, additional lawmakers from the ruling party may support and co-sponsor it further.
Target Populations and Current Status of the Bill
The welfare of ordinary people, especially children with mental health issues, is among this bill’s target populations. Considering the bill specifications, the prime benefactors and audience of the bill are the children studying up to K-12 level to ensure sound health. The bill is in its initial stage and is being introduced in the upper House of the USA. It has to go through three more steps before becoming a law.
General Comments/Notes
The initiation of this legislative proposal demonstrates a growing recognition among individuals of mental health significance in the context of elementary and secondary school education. This bill also added mental healthcare professionals and specialized instructional support in educational institutes in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 1965 (Congress, 2023). However, at this point, it is still considered to be in the early stages, an...