Social media has become interwoven into modern culture, but its impact on teens and young adults has contributed to a growing mental health crisis impacting the nation’s youth. As social interactions increasingly move away from in-person to online, heartland parents and teachers are asking the same question: how do we spot kids who are struggling with their mental health sooner? One heartland state, Illinois, is stepping up with a simple, bipartisan idea—screen all students for mental health needs—so schools can spot concerns early and connect families to help.

Illinois State Senator Sara Feigenholtz (D-District 6) introduced Senate Bill 1560 (SB 1560), an act concerning youth mental health, amid rising reports of youth sadness, hopelessness and academic strain. In 2024, half of teens said they were online “almost constantly” and 96% reported using the internet daily; the year prior, four in ten students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. “Addressing the skyrocketing mental health challenges experienced by Illinois youth is mission critical and Illinois will continue to make youth mental health a top priority,” said Senator Feigenholtz. “Universal mental health screenings are just one preventative step toward supporting students, families, and schools. Full implementation of the new law is designed to support schools and teachers by providing districts with resources and training for no-cost mental health screenings.”

What SB 1560 Accomplishes

With the enactment of SB 1560, Illinois will implement annual, voluntary mental health screenings for students from elementary through high school. These screenings are brief questionnaires designed to surface risky behaviors or emerging mental health challenges. The Illinois State Board of Education, led by State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders, will implement the screenings alongside five other state agencies, forming community partnerships, deploying software and training school staff to run screenings and manage any needed follow-up.

“Mental health is essential to academic readiness and lifelong success,” said Dr. Tony Sanders. “Universal mental health screening equips schools to identify concerns early—before a struggle becomes a crisis—and gives families the information they need to seek support. We’re shifting from reaction to prevention and sending a clear message that we see every student not just as a learner, but as a whole person, and we are committed to helping them thrive in school and in life.”

The law, which passed the state senate unanimously, demonstrates across the aisle support for addressing youth mental health challenges, shifts Illinois’ approach from reactive to proactive, normalizes mental health conversations and most critically, links students with key supports.

Why SB 1560 Matters

Mental health screenings are a starting line, not the finish. Screenings work if schools can support students in receiving timely and appropriate help, like clinical care and community support, after a screening warrants further attention. As Sara Gray, Executive Director of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Illinois explains:

“Providing support as early as possible following the onset of mental health symptoms produces better short- and long-term outcomes for students and families. The only way to provide appropriate support is to identify symptoms through screening… [but] screening students is not the end goal; ensuring that students and families get the care and support they need is paramount.”

Post-Screenings: Leveraging Public-Private Partnerships in Youth Mental Health Support

In early 2024, Illinois and Google announced BEACON (Behavioral Health Care and Ongoing Navigation), a digital platform aimed to simplify how families find and coordinate behavioral care for young people. For example, families can harness resources via the BEACON platform after a school-led mental health screening indicates a child may benefit from additional mental health support. BEACON is a model for how technology and state leadership can work together to close access gaps, offering students and families a streamlined and simplified way to examine care records, connect with online providers and advocate for resources.

Additionally, digital resources, like telehealth, can expand school partnerships so students can access care at school and at home. For example, online therapy provider Fort Health plans to grow their telehealth services in Illinois and pursue partnerships with school districts to increase student access to care.

Momentum Across the Heartland

Other heartland states are moving in parallel, building a strong foundation for youth mental health support across the region:

• Arkansas: Early 2025, Governor Sanders announced the Bell to Bell, No Cell Act, making classrooms across the state free of smartphones and personal electronics, citing the rise of youth mental health concerns and the role of social media as drivers of the policy. In total, eleven heartland states have enacted legislation to remove smartphones and restrict social media use during the school day.
• Minnesota: In 2025, the legislature introduced HF 2504, which aims to direct funding towards dedicated mental health staff and counselors at colleges and universities.
• Iowa: In 2024, the legislature updated Iowa Code Chapter 280A.1 to address behavioral services in schools, allowing schools to contract in-person behavioral health screenings through third-party health organizations.
• Ohio: Passed in 2021, HB 123 requires school districts to implement an hour-long annual evidence-based suicide awareness, violence prevention and social inclusion program for middle and high school students.

Takeaways for the Heartland:

• Early intervention works: Universal, school-based screenings catch problems sooner, shifting care from reactive to preventive.
• Access matters: Telehealth and community partnerships expand options beyond the counselor’s office.
• Navigation is key: Simple tools like BEACON can guide families to the right care at the right time.

Illinois is offering a roadmap by pairing universal screening with strong follow-up, easy-to-use digital tools and local partnerships. As states like Arkansas, Minnesota, Iowa and Ohio tailor approaches to their communities, the heartland is demonstrating how to move from understanding the nation’s youth mental health crisis to responding with replicable models for sustained support.