THE Senate yesterday approved on the third and final reading a proposed measure seeking to promote mental health and well-being in basic education through a school-based mental health program.
Senate Bill No. 2200 or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act was approved by 22 senators, with no negative votes, and no abstentions.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, Committee on Basic Education chairman, said the measure mandates the Department of Education to establish and maintain care centers in every school nationwide.
He said the bill will create new plantilla positions of mental health associates and mental health specialists, while the existing guidance counselors and psychologists will be called mental health specialists.
Gatchalian earlier said that as of July 2022, there were only 1,192 filled positions for both guidance counselors and coordinators within the DepEd. For the school year 2023-2024, the DepEd said more than 26 million learners have enrolled.
“Care centers will be mandated to equip learners with skills and information for prevention, identification, and proper response referral for their own and others’ mental health needs,” said Gatchalian, the bill’s sponsor and principal author.
The bill also covers out-of-school children in special cases, including learners with disabilities or conditions, indigenous peoples, children in conflict with the law, learners in emergency situations, and other marginalized sectors.
He said care centers will also facilitate the efficient referral for appropriate intervention to, and provision of adequate agencies, institutions, organizations, or professionals.
“The centers are further mandated to improve the mental health awareness and literacy of teaching and non-teaching personnel,” he added.
