Illinois public school districts, including McLean County Unit District No. 5, will be required to offer annual mental health screenings to students in grades 3-12 beginning in the 2027-28 school year under Senate Bill 1560, signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Because Unit 5 already administers a district-wide screener, administrators said the new mandate is expected to require little change in how the district identifies students who may need support.

Unit 5 currently uses mySAEBRS, a student self-report screening measure that can flag concerns in social, academic and emotional behavior, Superintendent Dr. Kristen Weikle said.

The platform, Weikle said, “allows [the district] to look for any student that shows up having some concerns.”

When results flag a possible concern, school support staff such as counselors, interventionists, school psychologists and social workers review the screening and follow up with a student to better understand what prompted the responses.

“Then we’ll delve a little bit deeper,” Weikle said.

The new state requirement arrives as student mental health remains a pressing issue in Illinois and across the country.

Statewide findings from the 2024 Illinois Youth Survey, funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services and conducted through the University of Illinois’ Center for Prevention Research & Development, show persistent mental health concerns among Illinois students.

Roughly 30% of 8th, 10th and 12th graders reported feeling “so sad or hopeless” for at least two weeks that they stopped doing usual activities. The survey also found 12% of 10th graders and 10% of 12th graders said they had seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year.

Separate state health data, estimates that 16% of Illinois children ages 3-17 have a current diagnosis of anxiety, depression or behavior/conduct problems.

What the law requires and what changes next

SB 1560 does not require students to “pass” a test or receive a diagnosis. Instead, the law directs districts to offer mental health screenings annually and gives families the option to opt out.

Pritzker’s office framed the new screening requirement as an expansion of the state’s Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative, which aims to make supports easier to access and coordinate. The governor’s office also said SB 1560 connects schools and psychiatric hospitals to information for families about the state’s BEACON Portal, a navigation tool intended to help caregivers find behavioral health services.

How Unit 5 follows up after a concern is flagged

After a screening flags a concern, Weikle said staff members follow up with students to better understand what prompted their responses.

Teachers at the junior high or high school level can talk with a student to determine whether the results reflect a temporary situation or a pattern that might require help, Weikle said.

“Was it just a bad day, and that bad day influenced how they answered?” Weikle said. “Or is it a series of kind of bad days, and they need some additional support?”

Weikle said the follow-up process can vary by building, depending on staffing and available support. At the high school level, she said, a counselor or social worker often checks in with students, though other trusted adults may be involved based on a student’s relationships and the district’s decision-making.

“More than likely, like at the high school, it would be a counselor or social worker,” Weikle said, adding that a “trusted adult” may also be selected if that person has a strong relationship with the student.

Unit 5’s mental health work, Weikle said, extends beyond just bi-annual screenings. The district provides support through multiple roles and programs, including counselors, school social workers and Project Oz.

“Project Oz, counselors and school social workers are all individuals who can provide mental health support” to students, Weikle said.

Student support, Weikle said, isn’t always visible, as many district interventions are “targeted,” meaning students and staff may not always notice them unless they are directly involved.

“There are a lot of resources … but it’s only applied when needed,” Weikle said. “So it may not be something that the whole student body or even all the staff is aware, but it’s those mental health experts, like the counselors, psych social workers, administrators, who are aware of those.”

When a student needs help, Weikle said those staff members review what supports are available and identify what best fits the situation.

Through the upcoming changes, Weikle said the district plans to keep expanding its student support systems.

“We’re always looking at ways that we can increase our support to students,” Weikle said.

How this fits into Pritzker’s broader student mental health push

SB 1560 is the latest in a series of Illinois policies aimed at student well-being.

In 2021, Illinois lawmakers approved a separate change allowing students to take up to five excused mental or behavioral health days each year without a doctor’s note, and requiring that students be given the chance to make up missed work. Schools may refer a student to support personnel after a second mental health day, according to state guidance.

The Inkspot previously reported on mixed reactions at Community when that law was set to take effect.

More recently, Pritzker has also pointed to student mental health as part of a broader argument for limiting distractions and social pressures during the school day, including support for “screen-free schools” cellphone restrictions that would require districts to adopt policies by the 2026-27 school year.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Students can also contact a school counselor or a trusted adult. Community’s counseling office maintains a list of mental health resources for students and families.