I have seen a number of people claim that the recent shooting in Florida is a “mental health issue.” We have heard this argument time and time again. I agree, our mental health system is broken; however, I don’t agree that a broken mental health system is the sole cause for these mass shootings. There isn’t one sole cause and there is not going to be one sole solution. But thus far, the main “solution” I have seen to this reported “mental health problem” is to arm our teachers with guns. That’s interesting, because I thought this was a mental health problem, not a gun problem? So as someone who works in the mental health system and witnesses DAILY how broken these children and families are and how limited so many families access is to care, I offer the following potential solutions: + Repeal HJ Resolution 40, a bill signed by the president on February 28,2017, which repealed the previous administrations bill to limit access to firearms among the mentally ill. + Provide everyone with health care with mental health coverage so everyone is able to seek proper mental health treatment. + Continue to waive university tuition as taxable income for graduate school, so students can actually afford to get advanced degrees to work in the mental health field. + Provide schools with enough funding to employ adequate numbers of behavioral health specialists, school psychologists, and counselors so that teachers can teach and students get the help they need. + Provide alternatives to expulsion for students who have behavioral problems (see above point) so they are not further ostracized and isolated. + Provide mental health services in schools, since that is where children spend most of their time, to reduce other barriers (e.g. lack of transportation, parent work schedules, mental health underserved area) to accessing care. + Allow teachers to teach content that interests students and what they need to know, rather than teaching to a test, to help boost self-esteem, morale, and enjoyment in the classroom. + Teach about mental health, emotions, and how to reach out for help early on in schools and at home - we know early intervention is key to successful outcomes. + Have parent support programs accessible to all parents, to help parents manage difficult behavior. + Get your information about mental health from actual scientific articles and credible websites rather than the media. I am not saying these suggestions will fix the horrific problem in our country with mass shootings, because it is not solely a mental health problem. But time and time again we blame mental health for these horrific acts (which is a fallacy by the way), yet we never offer solutions or take action for change. How many more people have to die before we act? The time to act is NOW.
