Sept 2, 2018, EMS: Pa. task force stresses improving access to mental health services in schools https://www.ems1.com/mass-casualty-incidents-mci/articles/390245048-Pa-task-force-stresses-improving-access-to-mental-health-services-in-schools/ HARRISBURG, Pa. — A task force commissioned by Gov. Wolf in the aftermath of February's mass shooting at a Parkland, Fla., high school calls on school officials and students— and, when necessary, police—to better communicate with each other about potential threats, and urges schools to step up mental-health services, including adding psychologists and nurses…. DePasquale, citing testimony from six hearings held around the state this spring with students, educators, and other stakeholders, said in a statement that "young men and women stood before us and described their feelings of helplessness and anxiety, that they want more and better mental health services. Now, it is our job to heed those concerns, and to do everything in our power to create safer spaces for learning." Although no money or specific mandates were attached to Monday's report, Wolf noted that the 2018-19 state budget included a $60 million initiative to issue grants to districts across the state—as determined by a new state committee—that would help pay for new safety measures, such as updating buildings, training teachers, or establishing community violence-prevention programs….
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Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.
Anne Dachel, Media editor, Age of Autism
http://www.ageofautism.com/media/
(John Dachel, Tech. assist.)
What will happen in another 4 years? How can we go on like this? This is a national (and international) problem of monumental proportions. We have an entire new class of children who cannot be accommodated by the system: many are manifestly neurologically impaired. Meanwhile, the government and the medical profession sleep on regardless.
John Stone,
UK media editor, Age of Autism
The generation of American children born after 1990 are arguably the sickest generation in the history of our country.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
It seemed to me that with rising autism prevalence, you’d also see rising autism costs to society, and it turns out, the costs are catastrophic.
They calculated that in 2015 autism cost the United States $268 billion and they projected that if autism continues at its current rate, we’re looking at one trillion dollars a year in autism costs by 2025, so within five years.
Toby Rogers, PhD, Political economist
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