Kids in Illinois will now be able to take a mental health day.
Zach Schumacher with Centerstone said the agency has seen an increase in demand for services for kids and adolescents as schools have returned to in-person learning and kids are still having to cope with the ongoing pandemic.
He said he hopes this law will help bring about new attitudes toward mental health.
"So maybe this is going to bring about that new generation that leads a positive trend towards mental health, where self-care is important and we normalize taking care of ourselves," he said.
Schumacher said neglecting kids mental health can have severe consequences, including school violence and self harm.
The law allows students to take up to 5 excused absences for mental health reasons.
