HEALTHY MIND MATTERS

Utah lawmaker questions schools leaving money on the table for mental health screenings

May 11, 2023, 10:56 PM | Updated: May 15, 2023, 1:59 pm

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah – On a recent day at Bingham High School, students brainstormed ways to get the word out: Their school has a new mental health room.

Their work carries urgency because these are members of Bingham’s peer suicide prevention group, Hope Squad. And suicide is the leading cause of death among their peers.

“We spend a lot of time focusing on our school and the kids in our school who need help being heard and being seen,” said Hope Squad member Lucy Herring.

About 40 Utah teens die by suicide each year. Equally concerning is the number who are thinking about suicide.

Student Health and Risk Prevention — or SHARP — surveys administered every two years, show 20% of 10th graders have seriously considered suicide. Nearly as many, 18%, actually made a plan.

“By not uncovering it, not addressing it, we’re basically just letting them suffer in silence. And that, to me, is completely unacceptable,” said Michael Staley, suicide prevention research coordinator with the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner.

And that is why Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, passed a law in 2020 that provides $500,000 each year for schools to offer mental health screenings.

“For decades, schools have screened for vision issues, hearing issues,” he said. “But for mental health issues, which is the number one cause of death for children in Utah, which is suicide, we didn’t do anything for a long time.”

Despite that funding, less than half of Utah’s school districts take part in the program, and fewer than a dozen charter schools.

“They’re missing out on one of the greatest tools available to them,” said Eliason.

Schools aren’t the only ones missing out. Parents can apply to use their district’s funding to help pay for counseling, insurance deductibles, or other things when the screening recommends treatment they can’t afford. But when the district opts out, that funding isn’t available.

So few districts applied that a new law passed in 2023 imposes a deadline of July 1 for districts to report whether they’re in or they’re out.

“It’s very frustrating,” said Eliason.

Troy Slaymaker wishes these kinds of screenings had been available for his family. He lost his 14-year-old son to suicide, then three years later, his oldest son also died by suicide.

“I’d give anything to have my boys back, anything,” said the South Jordan father.

He knew there were issues but didn’t realize how serious or know what to do.

(Courtesy: Slaymaker Family) (Courtesy: Slaymaker Family) (Courtesy: Slaymaker Family)

“It’s one of my biggest regrets, is that I didn’t get my oldest boy help,” he said. “We have the ability to assess it and also the resources to get them help. That’s a no-brainer.”

Why don’t more school districts participate in the state screening and funding program?

The Utah State School Board allows districts to decide on their own. And state researchers like Staley acknowledge some may be leery of screening for mental health problems when they don’t have the resources to help students.

“What happens when someone says yes to these questions, where will they go for help then?” he said.

Many districts not taking part in the mental health screenings are in central Utah. Staley says these areas also tend to have the most access to guns and alcohol and the fewest resources. Yet, this is precisely where the state shows teen suicide rates are highest – in some cases double.

“If we do these screenings, and I think we should, and people are in need, let’s figure out where to take them,” said Staley.

We asked districts why they don’t take part. The Davis School District said it has long offered student and family mental health screening events and already has resources working together in what they call a “triage system” to identify problems and then determine how to help the student.

“We have partnerships that have been established for years. Because of that, we have a system in place that is working and continues to work,” said Brad Christensen, director of student and family resources.

Sevier School District Superintendent Cade Douglas says they appreciate the support but also have their own systems in place.

“We’re hesitant to implement mental health screenings right now because we’re already doing so much in this area,” he said.

The Granite School District plans to opt into the program next year.

The Jordan School District does all the things the state asks with screenings but didn’t apply for funding. Leaders say screenings have saved lives by getting families resources and starting difficult discussions.

“It’s always helpful if it facilitates open, caring connections and conversations because that’s the key to kids having what they need to get them through a difficult time,” said McKinley Withers, director of health and wellness.

Eliason has another reason he’s pushing for screenings — to prevent school shootings. The same screenings that identify suicide risk could also flag other mental illnesses before they lead to the tragic scenes we see too often.

He hopes these serious issues will push more districts to take full advantage of the funding for school screenings before the deadline.

“I wouldn’t want to be a member of a school board that had walked away from a program like this and decided not to give parents the option to help their children, and later find out a child in that district had died by suicide, or heaven forbid, a mass shooting,” said Eliason.

KSL 5 TV Live

Healthy Mind Matters

(Laura Warburton)...

Emma Benson

‘Because of Hannah’: Utah mom who lost daughter to suicide provides resources for others

Laura Warburton remembers her daughter, Hannah, as a warrior.

13 days ago

SafeUT app...

Logan Stefanich, KSL.com 

SafeUT app sees ‘record-breaking’ use in 2023

The SafeUT app saw "record-breaking" utilization during 2023, program leaders and partners announced Tuesday.

1 month ago

Kelsey (left) and Wendy Fayle (right) holding up a NAMI sign. (Courtesy: Wendy Fayle)...

Candice Madsen, KSL TV

NAMI Utah offers free classes for parents and adolescents dealing with mental illness

NAMI is offering free classes for both parents and adolescents that are dealing with mental illness.

1 month ago

YCC text messages...

Alex Cabrero

YCC Family Crisis Center in Ogden now accepting text messages

It is certainly not the easiest job out there. Amber Paaso will be the first to tell you she's burned out of doing it in the past. 

2 months ago

Dexton Obray was only 14 years old when he took his life in Monroe, Utah in October 2022. Since his...

Aley Davis

7th grade football player spreads mental health awareness after losing teammate to suicide

A 12-year-old boy is working to raise awareness after his football teammate died by suicide in October 2022.

3 months ago

Aron and Joe Tuia'ana (KSL TV)...

Peter Rosen

Utah man’s mission began on an overpass

Men are four times more likely than women to die by suicide. For Joe Tuia'ana that’s more than a statistic.

3 months ago

Sponsored Articles

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

Users display warnings about the use of artificial intelligence (AI), access to malicious software ...

Les Olson

How to Stay Safe from Cybersecurity Threats

Read our tips for reading for how to respond to rising cybersecurity threats in 2023 and beyond to keep yourself and your company safe.

Design mockup half in white and half in color of luxury house interior with open plan living room a...

Lighting Design

Lighting Design 101: Learn the Basics

These lighting design basics will help you when designing your home, so you can meet both practical and aesthetic needs.

an antler with large horns int he wilderness...

Three Bear Lodge

Yellowstone in the Fall: A Wildlife Spectacle Worth Witnessing

While most people travel to this park in the summer, late fall in Yellowstone provides a wealth of highlights to make a memorable experience.

a diverse group of students raising their hands in a classroom...

Little Orchard Preschool

6 Benefits of Preschool for Kids

Some of the benefits of preschool for kids include developing independence, curiosity, and learning more about the world.

Utah lawmaker questions schools leaving money on the table for mental health screenings