SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. - Some Pioneer Valley Performing Arts School students are lobbying for bill S.346 which would require at least one mental health expert per 250 pupils in all Massachusetts schools K-12.

History teacher Gary Huggett said the idea was inspired by an assignment given to his 11th grade civic action class.

He said these particular students felt the need to address issues of anxiety, depression and other forms of mental illness that they and several of their peers have been experiencing in the classroom.

"They all had somewhat personal stakes that drew them to the topic so they thought, 'What can do we do address mental health awareness in schools that will actually live beyond our little project?'" Huggett said.

It's not just South Hadley public schools either, a report released in 2022 by the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts says in 2020, 45% of youths ages 14-24 reported depressive symptoms, including feeling sad or hopeless almost everyday for at least two weeks.

Chicopee Public Schools director of Social and Emotional Learning Abbey Tenczar said several students have been struggling recently as well.

"We saw an increase even before the pandemic," Tenczar said. "And after the pandemic we've seen even more. We've seen a lot of anxiety and depression, some substance use disorders as well. Eating disorders are also common."

Tenczar said the Chicopee school district has been very proactive lately when addressing mental health, like increasing their staff from school adjustment counselors to social workers.

"We have now three behaviorists in the district," Tenczar said. "We have a new substance use prevention specialist so really over the past several years we've added 10 to 12 mental health staff members to our team."

Huggett said his students were very proactive in their assignment earlier this winter, including speaking with some of their local representatives directly about the issue.

The office of Sen. Rausch, who presented the bill, told Spectrum News it's currently being overseen by the joint committee on education and next month will have a vote on whether it will report favorably out of committee or sent to study.

And while Huggett said there is still plenty of work to be done regardless, he said giving young people the opportunity to make changes in their own community can go a long way towards keeping them healthy, as well as in school.

"All of that stuff has been really helpful in getting the kids here and getting them to learn, and that's really what it's all about," Huggett said.

Sen. Rausch's office said the deadline to make a decision on the next steps for Bill S.346 will be March 15.