Moms say Illinois mental health screening law leaves questions unanswered

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Chicago mother sounds alarm on 'alienation of parents' as Illinois set to require mental health screenings

Chicago parents Christine McGovern, Cata Truss and Mailee Smith join 'Fox & Friends First' to discuss their take on the new mental health screenings required in Illinois schools and why some are concerned with the new policy. 

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A new Illinois law mandating annual mental health screenings for students in the third through 12th grades is drawing concern from parents and policy experts, who say the measure, and the way it could be implemented, raises more questions than it answers.

"What does that [screening] entail?" asked Cata Truss, a Chicago mother, grandmother, and former educator. 

"A child dealing with trauma may show the same signs as one with mental illness, but you don’t want to treat or medicate them the same."

Though parents will reserve the right to opt their children out of the mental health screenings, the law leaves key details to be determined by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), which has until September 1, 2026, to develop guidance on how screenings will be conducted, how follow-up referrals will work, and how student privacy will be protected.

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An Illinois law regarding mental health screenings at school is causing alarm among some parents. (iStock)

Illinois moms, including Truss, voiced their skepticism while appearing on "Fox & Friends First," citing transparency gaps and their own fears of overreach.

"We do need an increase in our mental health [services] for our children," said Christine McGovern, also a former public school teacher.

But McGovern is concerned the measure could open the door for overreach and the "alienation of parents," which she identified as the "biggest issue" she encountered during her tenure in education.

Policy attorney and parent Mailee Smith is concerned that several provisions in the law remain vague, including how parents are supposed to opt their children out of the screenings.

"Are parents going to be told every year they can opt out? Because if they don’t, that’s really not an opt-out process," she said. 

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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker speaks during a press conference at the UI Health Mile Square Health Center on Feb. 28, 2025. Pritzker signed the measure on July 31. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

"Who is going to be collecting and reviewing this information? How will students how will their confidentiality be protected?" she continued. "It seems to pose more risks to freedom than answers to the mental health crisis."

Truss also expressed a desire for "so many things" to be added to the measure that have not yet been "looked at," likely referencing the law’s reliance on future guidance from the ISBE.

"Certainly we want to say to parents, opt out. And if you think that your child may be suffering from some sort of mental episode, get your own screening. Go out and allow your child's doctor to be the catalyst for whether or not you make the decision to deal with that, whether it's mental illness or whether it's trauma."

Fox News Digital previously reached out to Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, who signed the measure on July 31, for comment, but did not receive a reply.

The broader national debate over mental health screenings also roused concerns from author Abigail Shrier, who recently shared that her middle school-aged son was given a mental health screening at an urgent care center after he went in, complaining of a stomachache.

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