WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) announced they have introduced the Social-Emotional Learning for Families (SELF) Act to provide additional resources to support the mental health and safety of children and improve educational outcomes for students. Specifically under the legislation, the Department of Education would establish a competitive grant program to support the development, implementation, and evaluation of successful teacher and school leader training programs on family engagement that will improve teachers’ and school leaders’ ability to develop and support the social-emotional learning (SEL) of children.

“When we talk about preparing our students for success, it can’t just be about teaching them the state capitals and multiplication tables – we need to make sure we’re supporting their social and emotional development,” said Senator King. “This need is even more important during the coronavirus pandemic, which has upended students’ routines, challenged their support systems, and forced them to stay socially distant from the normal, personal encouragement of friends and classmates. This legislation will support these critical efforts during a time of increased need, making sure that the next generation has all the tools it needs to become active and productive citizens who play fair and work well with others.”

“We must equip our students with proven social and emotional learning skills to help them succeed, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Senator Blumenthal. “This legislation will provide the necessary resources to ensure our students have the tools to successfully tackle the difficulties, stresses, and traumas of this pandemic. Social and emotional learning programs help students understand and deal with their emotions, and teach them how to navigate social situations. These programs have a proven track record of helping students and are an invaluable investment in our youth, helping them thrive now and throughout their lives.”

“Now more than ever, families and educators are the co-creators of children’s learning experiences. Rather than expecting the most important contributors to children’s education and social-emotional well-being to navigate our new reality on their own, the Social-Emotional Learning for Families Act offers an opportunity for families and schools to work together,” said Andrea Lovanhill, Interim CEO, Committee for Children. “Because our children’s resilience and mental health are being significantly tested this year, it makes sense to place their social-emotional learning at the center of this school-family joint effort. Fostering social-emotional learning competencies that support relationship-building, problem-solving, and emotion management will not only help increase students’ success in various learning settings, it will also decrease stress and increase resilience for families and educators as well.”

“School Psychologists are uniquely prepared to detect, prevent, and intervene on behalf of children's social and emotional needs, as well as, optimizing children's success in and out of the classroom by supporting partnerships between schools and families,” said Suzanne Botana Ph.D, Yarmouth, Maine. “Educators and families want specific powerful supports when they ask us, ‘What can we do now to help slow mental illness and address ongoing traumatic experiences’. As a School Psychologist in Maine's public schools, I support this act which provides funding for expanding direct support for educators and families.” 

“Social-Emotional learning allows children to become more resilient affording them the skills to move through difficult life events with less negative impacts on their mental wellbeing,” said Jenna Mehnert, CEO of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Maine. “With the median age of onset for an anxiety disorder down to seven and 75% of mental health challenges presenting before the age of 24; it is critical that we build resources to support the mental health of our children. NAMI Maine works with schools all across the state, and we have heard countless times that mental health is the biggest barrier to academic success among our children. As mental health advocates, we thank Senator King for elevating this critical issue.”

“Senator King's sponsoring of the Social-Emotional Learning for Families (SELF) Act could not be more timely,” said Ruth Crowell, President of the Maine Association of School Psychologists. “With the advent of the coronavirus pandemic, families in Maine and across the country are under great stress.  This bill will go a long way in providing the funds needed to help families, teachers, and school psychologists collaborate in providing the much needed support to our youngest citizens during these uncertain times.  Social-Emotional Learning competencies are crucial skills our children need in order to build positive relationships, good self-regulation and problem solving skills. Research has long established a strong link between Social-Emotional Learning skills and academic performance. The Maine Association of School Psychologists supports Senator King’s Social-Emotional Learning for Families Bill 100%.”

"Behavioral health providers are struggling to meet the increasing demand for children's mental health services during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Malory Shaughnessy, Executive Director of the Alliance for Addiction and Mental Health Services. “With inconsistency of access to school venues during the pandemic, many students are unable to access help or be identified as needing help through the secure services that previously were available on-site at their schools.  Privacy issues at home and the growing environmental stress escalate the crisis, and increase the need to create innovative, available, safe, and flexible mental health supports for our children now."

On a global basis, the coronavirus pandemic has been shown to exacerbate poor mental health, and symptoms of anxiety and depression in children. In China, researchers found that for children experiencing quarantine for even a relatively short period–an average of 33.7 days in this study– 22.6% of them reported depressive symptoms and 18.9% were experiencing anxiety. For context in the United States, in 2019, 7.1% of children in the 3-to-17 age group were diagnosed with anxiety and an additional 3.2% in the same age group suffered from depression, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

According to The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, SEL skills have been found to improve academic performance, decrease mental health and behavioral health problems, decrease drug use, decrease crime and violence rates. Research also shows that these school-based programs are more effective when they are supported by parent and family involvement. Additionally, while dozens of states and school districts already have their own guidelines and standards for SEL, many lack the funding to implement their programs.

As the coronavirus pandemic creates immeasurable challenges for Maine schools, Senator King continues to connect with students and teachers and push for additional resources to support the upcoming school year. Earlier this week, Senators King and Blumenthal joined 2 of their Senate colleagues to introduce a resolution that expresses support for the implementation of evidence-based programs into classroom and virtual school curriculums to help students cope with the uncertainties and pressures of the coronavirus pandemic. Last month, he met with nearly 50 Maine school psychologists via teleconference to discuss the importance of meeting the mental health needs of students. In June, he pressed Congressional leaders to include federal funding for schools in upcoming coronavirus relief legislation. He has also emphasized the value of mental health resources in schools prior to the coronavirus pandemic, cosponsoring the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act to help provide more mental health counselors for students.