In today’s society, communities are more aware of mental health than ever before. According to the CDC, 78.1% of children ages 3 to 17 with depression received treatment, and 59.3% of children ages 3 to 17 with anxiety received treatment. However, the National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that 1 in 6 U.S. children, ages 6 to 17 experience a mental health disorder each year — that’s about 7.7 million children.

Even with this data, some schools, including Manheim Township, have not implemented the use of mental health days for students.

A mental health day is an opportunity for students to stay home, rest, focus on their own health, and, if necessary, seek out professional help. The idea of mental health days is not new. States like Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Virginia have already passed legislation allowing children to miss school with mental health reasons, all within the past two years.

Arguments against mental health days include the chance that students will abuse them and can easily skip school without a “valid” reason to do so. While this is certainly a possibility, it can be avoided rather smoothly if schools require specific information behind a mental-health-related absence. For example, requiring students to list specific symptoms they are feeling and the possible causes behind these symptoms, or requiring students to contact a school psychologist in order to ensure the validity of a mental health day.

A mental health day is no different from a sick day. If a student has the flu, it would be appropriate and necessary for that student to stay home and miss school to rest and get better. Likewise, if a student is suffering from burn-out, severe anxiety or depression, or a mental, behavioral, or emotional crisis, it would be both appropriate and necessary for that student to stay home and recover. It should not matter if the reason for a student staying home is physical or mental; a sick day is a sick day.

Manheim Township’s mission is to “nurture and challenge for success”. If this is the case, taking a mental health day — or days — should be allowed. Success can only be achieved when students’ mental health is cared for. Students face challenges, whether in school or out of school, on a daily basis. Stressors like homework, course workload, tests, extracurricular activities, jobs, and social relationships can often lead to burn-out or feelings of anxiety that can quickly turn into a serious mental health issue.

Mental health issues do not discriminate and can strike anyone at any time. Mental health days are beneficial and necessary to help students and allow them time to rest, take a break from everyday stressors, and focus on their health.