New legislation to bring more mental health resources on college campuses

MARYLAND — Maryland lawmakers are working to add more mental health resources to college campuses.

Senate Bill 937 would establish the Access to Mental Health Advisory Committee through the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

The group’s goal would be to determine what services are available in regards to mental health and counseling for college students.

Lawmakers tell 47ABC, many students start building relationships with their counselors in high school and they want to make sure those services can continue throughout their higher education. “They go on to college and we don’t know how they get linked up with those supportive services,” Maryland Senator Addie Eckardt said. “So we wanted to make sure that at least we knew what kind of services were available and if they weren’t available how to be able to assist the universities to be able to provide them.”

Lawmakers also say that this initiative comes as many students are experiencing heightened anxiety due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

That bill currently sits in the Senate Rules committee.