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IL Launches Compulsory Mental Health Screening For Children And Pregnant Women
The Illinois Leader ^ | July 19, 2004 | The Leader-Chicago Bureau

Posted on 07/23/2004 4:26:02 PM PDT by Reaganwuzthebest

CHICAGO -- This week, a series of public forums on a program requiring all pregnant women and children through age 18 years to be tested for mental health needs is being held this week in five different locations statewide.

One group of parents learned about the state's plans to proceed with this program and on Monday issued an alarm asking for parents and citizens concerned about the new program to voice their opinions at the forums.

"We're moving toward social training over academic training with this program," Larry Trainor, a Mt. Prospect parent of four children and a contact for Citizens Commission on Human Rights, based in Los Angeles, said today.

"Since psychiatric involvement in education, SAT scores have gone down for the past few decades. Evaluating mental conditions is not based on scientific evidence, it's subjective," he said.

The $10 million plan for the setup of the Children's Mental Health Act of 2003 is being considered at this week's public forums starting Monday, July 18 in Champaign.

Signed into law, the bill passed the Illinois General Assembly last spring, sponsored in the House by State Representatives Julie Hamos (D-Evanston) and Patricia Bellock (R-Westmont). State Senator Maggie Crotty (D-Oak Forest) and Susan Garrett (D-Highwood) shepherded the legislation through the Senate.

The legislation passed the House with a 107 to 5 vote, and the Senate unanimously.

"What if they find a student has a math disorder, a reading disorder. Would that be a mental health disorder, one that would cause the parents to put their children with a drug for a condition they may or may not have?" Trainor asked.

The mental health program will develop a mental health system for "all children ages 0-18 years," provide for screening to "ensure appropriate and culturally relevant assessment of young children's social and emotional development with the use of standardized tools."

Also, all pregnant women will be screened for depression and thereafter following her baby's birth, up to one year. Follow-up treatment services will also be provided.

Trainor said that he is trying to get parents and citizens out to voice their opinion about the new program.

Apparently, children's mental health will be assessed along with their academic standards in the new proposed testing. The Illinois State Board of Education has been given the responsibility to develop the appropriate tests, according to last year's legislation.

The Task Force hosting the public forums this week are to send a recommendation to Governor Blagojevich by the end of the summer, according to the Act (HB 2900).

Developing story . . .


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: bigbrother; bravenewworld; healthypeople; healthypeople2010; leavethemalone; maddoctors; mentalhealth; moralabsolutes
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The legislation passed the House with a 107 to 5 vote, and the Senate unanimously.

Unbelievable, sounds like a violation of people's privacy to me.

1 posted on 07/23/2004 4:26:03 PM PDT by Reaganwuzthebest
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To: Reaganwuzthebest

Orwell was right. He was just off by 20 years.

This stuff scares me to death.


2 posted on 07/23/2004 4:28:40 PM PDT by Mears
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To: Reaganwuzthebest

Definitely a violation of privacy! Straight out of the Nazi play book.


3 posted on 07/23/2004 4:29:13 PM PDT by EggsAckley (You can't be pro small business and pro trial lawyer at the same time! ** George W. Bush **)
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To: Don Joe
Do you believe this s**t??
4 posted on 07/23/2004 4:30:25 PM PDT by TomServo ("I'm so upset that I'll binge on a Saltine.")
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To: Mears
This stuff scares me to death.

Same here, this legislation has to be stopped dead in its tracks. Hitler couldn't have written it better.

5 posted on 07/23/2004 4:31:03 PM PDT by Reaganwuzthebest
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To: Reaganwuzthebest

So now propaganda is not enough mind control for them, it isn't working in the numbers they had hoped, so they have to make sure that the public thinks correctly? Who decides what correct thought is? shudddddder.


6 posted on 07/23/2004 4:31:52 PM PDT by Awestruck (The artist formerly known as Goodie D)
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To: All
Another interesting thread.
7 posted on 07/23/2004 4:32:22 PM PDT by TomServo ("I'm so upset that I'll binge on a Saltine.")
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To: Reaganwuzthebest
"We're moving toward social training over academic training with this program," Larry Trainor, a Mt. Prospect parent of four children and a contact for Citizens Commission on Human Rights, based in Los Angeles, said today.

While this program sounds like a bad idea, the Citizens Commission on Human Rights is a front group for Scientology, so I wouldn't put much faith in what they say.

8 posted on 07/23/2004 4:32:27 PM PDT by ThinkDifferent
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To: Reaganwuzthebest

Was that REALLY signed into law!?! That is going WAY too far. Over my cold, dead body would that happen to my family.


9 posted on 07/23/2004 4:32:49 PM PDT by sc2_ct
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To: Reaganwuzthebest

How do they define "mental health"?

Is Christianity defined as needing intervention by the state?

Yikes! Run for the hills, get out of there.


10 posted on 07/23/2004 4:33:23 PM PDT by TruthConquers (Dominus illuminatio mea)
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To: sc2_ct
Was that REALLY signed into law!?!

Not yet, it's waiting for the governor's signature, which makes it practically a done deal unless people fight it now.

11 posted on 07/23/2004 4:35:16 PM PDT by Reaganwuzthebest
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To: Reaganwuzthebest

Brought to you by the same folks who think every kid needs to be doped up to "cope".


12 posted on 07/23/2004 4:35:30 PM PDT by TomServo ("I'm so upset that I'll binge on a Saltine.")
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To: Reaganwuzthebest

Welcome to the DemocRATic Peoples Republik of Illinois, your papers please!


13 posted on 07/23/2004 4:37:44 PM PDT by teletech (Friends don't let friends vote DemocRAT!)
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To: Reaganwuzthebest; Ken H

Ping! What about home schoolers?


14 posted on 07/23/2004 4:38:07 PM PDT by monkeywrench
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To: Mears

Well, some (far from all) mentally out-of-phase people are dangerous, and, being such, are equivalent to having on themselves a concealed weapon (they themselves being a weapon, in a sense).
Therefore, to stay within the law, they would need to apply for and to receive a [special] CCW permit. Such application cannot be carried out without identifying them first, for which purpose the testing is obviously necessary.
If, on another hand, due to their mental condition, the CCW cannot be issued, then, since they are walking equivalents to CCW anyway, and therefore are in violation, they are to be removed from the streets via mandatory institutionalization, for which purpose the testing is equally necessary.


15 posted on 07/23/2004 4:38:14 PM PDT by GSlob
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To: TruthConquers
"ensure appropriate and culturally relevant assessment of young children's social and emotional development with the use of standardized tools."

The bolded words answer your question!

16 posted on 07/23/2004 4:41:23 PM PDT by Telit Likitis
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To: Reaganwuzthebest

"a program requiring all pregnant women and children through age 18 years to be tested for mental health... "

And those will fail........ will be...... GASSED !?
Ja wohl, mein Fuehrer !


17 posted on 07/23/2004 4:45:55 PM PDT by traumer
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To: GSlob

I was talking about pregnanat women and children.


18 posted on 07/23/2004 4:50:42 PM PDT by Mears
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To: Telit Likitis

The thought police are now official. If your child doesn't conform to the official political training, they will be labeled. All I can say is start buying guns and ammo.


19 posted on 07/23/2004 4:51:44 PM PDT by bfree (Liberals are EVIL!!!)
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To: Reaganwuzthebest
What is the Illinois Children's Mental Health Act (ICMHA) of 2003 and what needs is it designed to address?

The ICMHA of 2003 (P.A. 93-9485) is based on recommendations in the April 2003 Report of the Illinois Children's Mental Health Task Force, Children's Mental Health: An Urgent Priority for Illinois.

The Task Force Report demonstrates the need for greater coordination of mental health services for Illinois children and calls on the State to make children's mental health a priority through the creation of a continuum of care from prevention through early intervention, and treatment.

Hmmmm ... the April 2003 Report of the Illinois Children's Mental Health Task Force, Children's Mental Health: An Urgent Priority for Illinois.

The Children's Mental Health: An Urgent Priority for Illinois report can be read here: Children's Mental Health: An Urgent Priority for Illinois (pdf format)

Foreward:

FOREWORD In the spring of 2001, a small group of advocates and education leaders visited a high school in Illinois. The issues facing students were striking and disturbing - students were depressed, traumatized by exposure to violence in the home and community, and greatly in need of someone to talk to about their anxieties and concerns. The group decided to convene a workgroup to explore children?s mental health. This workgroup produced a White Paper and recommended that the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority convene a Task Force on Children?s Mental Health, which began its work in June of 2002.

It is with great pleasure that the Illinois Children?s Mental Health Task Force presents its Final Report, Children?s Mental Health: An Urgent Priority for Illinois. Over 100 people from various backgrounds and professions worked diligently to research the findings and formulate the recommendations contained in the Report. The Report represents a first major step in the long haul work of creating a mental health system that is truly responsive to the social and emotional development needs of children.

Research has clearly demonstrated that social and emotional well-being is essential for children?s healthy development and critical to their ability to learn and succeed in life. Mental health promotion for children of all ages must be as high a priority for families and child serving systems as academic preparedness and physical health. Children are born with great promise, and we must do everything possible to help them develop socially and emotionally so they can meet the challenges of learning and living in today?s complex society. Unfortunately, many children including very young children experience psychological trauma and mental health problems that, if untreated, negatively affect their brain, their behavior, and their academic and social success. Services must reach these young children and their families early to avoid more serious and costly problems. A full range of treatment services must also be available for those children who suffer from serious mental health disorders.


20 posted on 07/23/2004 4:54:07 PM PDT by _Jim ( <--- Ann C. and Rush L. speak on gutless Liberals (RealAudio files))
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