Becca Schollaert graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in December 2016 with a major in psychology. Since then, she has been working at Jenda Family Services as a family support worker where she helps displaced families.
However, Schollaert is also breaking ground in the Nebraska Legislature by working on a bill with senators that would bring education about mental health to schools.
The necessity for this bill became apparent through her interactions speaking to middle school and high school aged kids about mental health.
“Mental health is real and out there, and it is worth educating about,” Schollaert said. “It is not something to be ashamed of. There is such a negative stigma about getting help. With this stigma, no one will get the help they need.”
However what Schollaert found is that when she would talk to younger people, asking basic questions about eating disorders, they didn’t know how to respond. She did her research and discovered Nebraska had no requirements for mental health education.
Just by sharing her story she realized many people had been struggling with similar problems but were unable to diagnose it or ask for help.
When Schollaert first started speaking about this topic, she had no idea what response she would get. However, the more she talked about mental health, the more responses she got. With all of these responses, she realized this issue was much bigger than her struggles.
“I loved speaking. I felt like a guide for them, which led me to meet so many people and open up great conversations with them,” Schollaert said.
With the experiences and interactions Schollaert had educating people on mental health, she realized this is a big issue. Something needed to be done.
Schollaert got in contact with Sen. Adam Morfeld, of Lincoln, to help get the bill started. Schollaert said there will be an interim study where stakeholders come and testify their research and expertise on the topic to the legislature.
However, the time is worth the effort, she said, as the services this bill provides is imperative to one of the most vulnerable populations of Nebraskans struggling with mental health.
“I want this bill to be passed so everyone has an education about mental health,” she said. “Not everyone has a mental illness, so this bill will help friends of those that are struggling. It will teach them what they need to know to check in with them, how to be there for them and how to handle it.”
Schollaert has been working on this bill since the beginning of the year. She will mold and form it to perfect the bill, and then it will be voted on.
