Ask Congress to support MINDS Act

When I was 12 years old, one of my classmates chose to end his life because he was overwhelmed with school. At the time, I was young and did not understand the severity of the situation, but as I grew older, I came to realize that my classmate would still be with us if my school had proper resources for children struggling with their mental health.

Since May will be Mental Health Awareness Month, I want to take the time to shed some light on the importance of mental health and well-being.

As I completed my middle and high school years and reached college, I have seen the mental health crisis get worse and worse. As a society, we need to prioritize mental health, especially that of children.

Like my classmate and many people around me, there are millions of children around the world in desperate need of mental and psychosocial support. Almost 452 million children live in areas affected by the conflict which leads to more than 14 percent of children worldwide who have a mental health disorder.

As a college student majoring in political science and psychology, I know what an important role mental health plays in a child's healthy growth, development and future success. That is why I am so supportive of the Mental Health in International Development and Humanitarian Settings (MINDS) Act.

This act is a first-of-its-kind and would promote mental health and psychosocial support as an integral part of U.S. foreign assistance.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, please join me and Save the Children Action Network in urging Congress to support this bipartisan legislation. The futures of millions of children are at risk. By investing in their mental and psychosocial well-being, we are investing in the brighter future and long-term success of our global community.

Lavannya Deolalikar

Aurora