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A new Illinois law requiring public school students to have annual mental health screenings has drawn backlash from parents, policy experts and lawmakers warning that policies can be mislabeled and crossed boundaries.
Gov. JB Pritzker signed the measure on July 31, making Illinois the first state in the country to mandate mental health screening for third- to 12th grade students.
The Act is expected to come into effect between 2027 and 2028, directing schools to provide self-study screenings annually using digital or paper forms. Parents have the ability to choose their children.
Advocates say the initiative will help identify early signs of depression, anxiety, or trauma before schools develop into a crisis. However, critics argue that the plan could cause more problems than it would solve.
“I want to clarify the records and crystals. This is a disastrous policy that does more harm than good,” wrote Abigail Schlier, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, in X.
Katherine Boyle, a partner at venture capital firm Andreesen Horowitz, also raised concerns about the government’s overreach and what she called a “mental health industrial facility.”
Illinois Governor JB Pretzker signed a law on July 31, 2025, requiring mental health screening (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
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“If a school nurse or a nationally mandatory mental health test says you’re sick, you’ll believe them,” Boyle wrote. “This is why so many families are completely opting out of primary school.
Illinois educators say the screening is designed to flag students who are not diagnosed and who may benefit from further evaluations. The Illinois State Board of Education will develop screening tools and guidelines by September 2026, and the district will be responsible for implementing them.
“Mental health is crucial to academic preparation and lifelong success,” state Chief Tony Sanders said in a statement. “Too often, we only recognize student pain when it becomes a crisis. Universal screening allows us to move from reaction to prevention.”
Starting from third grade, Illinois students receive mental health screenings annually. (@fairfaxcountypublicschools/instagram)
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Dana Weiner, chief executive of the Governor’s Children’s Behavior and Health Change Initiative, said the screening is an option for families and will be held personally.
State Sen. Laura Fein, the bill’s Democrat and leading sponsor, said the effort was aimed at normalizing mental health care for children and teens. “Screening is designed to catch early signs of anxiety, depression, or trauma before it becomes a crisis or, in some cases, too late,” she said.
State Republican lawmakers have also expressed their opposition. Rep. Steve Reick (R‑ Woodstock) warned that the law could have unintended consequences for families dealing with insurance companies.
“Universal mental health screening will probably give us nothing else than finding things, finding reasons for refusing to cover insurance,” the Illinois legislator warned. (Google Maps)
“A universal mental health screening will probably get nothing more than finding things, finding reasons for refusing to cover insurance,” Reick said.
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Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) called the law “part of a very dangerous law that excludes parental rights.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to Pritzker’s office for comment and has not yet received a reply.
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