Last year the Children’s Mental Health Act of 2003 got through the Illinois legislature without even being noticed by Pro-Life and Pro-Family organizations. This law first got noticed when public hearings were recently held on the draft Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership Preliminary Plan that was produced based on the law. Some state legislators now recognize that the proposed plan is inconsistent with the provisions of the law. They have begun to evaluate steps needed to address the concerns raised about the plan.

There are no provisions in the Children’s Mental Health Act of 2003 to justify screening “all women for depression during their pregnancies and following the birth of a child up to one year postpartum, and provide necessary follow-up treatment services.” These strategies and steps in the Draft Preliminary Plan are not authorized by this law.

Even if they were, instituting such screenings violates the primacy of parents in making decisions about their own well-being and that of their family. In an era when medical records are mandated to be so private that family members cannot obtain the information without permission, this perception of concern for privacy is turned on its head by establishing government mandated screenings of citizens to assess their mental health.

Even the strategies and steps in the Draft Preliminary Plan that are consistent with the provisions of the Children’s Mental Health Act of 2003 go well beyond what is called for in the law. The act speaks to one in ten children with mental health issues, 80% of whom are not getting treatment. The first priority recommendation of this Draft Preliminary Plan calls for developing “a mental health system for all children ages 0-18 years that respects, supports and treats families and caregivers as partners.” Empowering parents to find help when it is needed does not justify an assumption that all children may have mental health issues until proven otherwise and that parents need a government partner.

This Draft Preliminary Plan calls for strategies and steps that create a government nanny to oversee the mental health of all children from 0-18 years, and their mothers as well before and after giving birth. This plan must be substantially cut back in scope to comply with the provisions of the law and to respect the rights and privacy of families.

The state of Illinois has no business taking over such responsibilities for parents and families. Funding this intrusive mandate is also a serious issue. The added costs to school districts for compliance, in oversight by new government bureaucracies, and in increased insurance and medical costs has serious implications for taxpayers in the state of Illinois.

The first place to watch regarding implementition of this plan is in the public schools. Policies are already required for the current school year. Actual impact of those policies is not yet clear. Be watchful for potential threats to the rights of parents and families in your local school.