This document argues that mental health education should be mandatory curriculum in U.S. schools. It notes that mental illness is the leading cause of disability among those aged 15-44 and is disproportionately impacting marginalized communities. The document advocates for mental health education to reduce stigma, allow early detection and prevention, and help address societal issues like incarceration and economic deprivation that stem from unmet mental health needs. Implementing mental health education in high schools in a way similar to physical education could help prevent dropout rates and create a healthier society with lower prevalence of mental illness.

1. Should Mental Health Education
become mandatory curriculum
in the United States?
Presented by Alex Al-
Mandhrey

2. Adult Prevalence of Mental Illness - Adults with Any
Mental Illness 2021
https://mhanational.org/issues/2021/mental-health-america-prevalence-data

3. The Importance of Mental Health Education
• Mental health disorders are the leading cause of disability in the United States and
Canada for the people ages 15-44
• Huge stigma surrounding mental health
• Educate people in identifying mental health issues so they can practice preventative
techniques

4. The Disproportionate Effect Mental Health has on
Differing Communities
• Anyone can struggle with mental health, but already marginalized communities have
additional struggles
• In the juvenile criminal system approximately “50% to 75% of youth in the juvenile
justice system meet criteria for a mental health disorder.”
• Children with mental health issues are unfortunately incarcerated, instead of being
referred to a health care practitioner.

5. Graphed Data

6. The Importance of Early
Education and Prevention
• A lot of societal issues stem from mental health issues
• Incarceration
• Economic deprivation
• Lower education and graduation rates
• Alcohol and substance abuse
• Violence – suicide or abuse

7. Why Mental Health Education
Should be Mandatory Curriculum
• Early prevention and detection is important in preventing the negative consequences on
society
• Eliminating the stigma at a high school level will lead to adults who are more
comfortable discussing mental health issues
• People that struggle with mental health are one and a half to three times more likely to
drop out compared to students flourishing mentally
• High schools should be doing everything in their power to prevent drop-outs

8. How Mental Health Education
Should be Implemented
• Implemented in a similar way as mandatory physical education
• Begin in high school
• Elementary and middle school should have specialized mental health counselors and
resources for at risk kids

9. Conclusion
• Mental health issues affect almost 1/10 children and 1/5 adults according the MHA.
• Eliminating the stigma with early education is an important part of convincing people to
seek help
• Decreasing the overall prevalence of mental health is important in creating a happier and
healthier society.

10. Works Cited
American Psychiatric Association. “Mental Health Disparities: Diverse Populations.” Psychiatry.org, 2019,
www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/cultural-competency/education/mental-health-facts.
“Prevalence Data 2021.” Mental Health America, 2021, mhanational.org/issues/2021/mental-health-america-prevalence-data.
Degutis, Linda. "Integrating mental health and public health: a call to action." The Nation's Health, vol. 38, no. 1, Feb. 2008, p. 3.
Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A174970409/OVIC?u=newt_ovrc&sid=bookmark-
OVIC&xid=1a6b45e6. Accessed 31 Oct. 2021.
"New Virgina Law Mandates Mental Health Education In Public Schools." All Things Considered, 5 July 2018. Gale In Context:
Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A545980638/OVIC?u=newt_ovrc&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=ae251e43.
Accessed 31 Oct. 2021.
Andersen, Susan, et al. "Mental health groups in high school students and later school dropout: a latent class and register-based
follow-up analysis of the Danish National Youth Study." BMC Psychology, vol. 9, no. 1, 18 Aug. 2021, p. NA. Gale In
Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A675243319/OVIC?u=newt_ovrc&sid=bookmark-
OVIC&xid=45a5961c. Accessed 31 Oct. 2021.