Sec. 2. Findings
204 words·~1 min read·
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Congress finds the following: One in 5 children ages 13 through 18 have, or will have, a serious mental illness. 11 percent of youth have a mood disorder, 10 percent of youth have a behavior or conduct disorder, and 8 percent of youth have an anxiety disorder. 50 percent of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14. 37 percent of students with a mental health condition age 14 and older drop out of school, which is the highest school dropout rate of any disability group. 70 percent of youth in State and local juvenile systems have a mental illness.
Youth with access to mental health services in school-based health centers are 10 times more likely to seek care for mental health or substance abuse than youth without access. The leading counseling, guidance, and mental health organizations, including the American School Counselor Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, the National Association of Social Workers, and the School Social Work Association of America, recommend that schools maintain— a maximum student to school counselor ratio of 250 to 1; a maximum student to school psychologist ratio of 500–700 to 1; and a maximum student to school social worker ratio of 250 to 1.