DE Mental Health Literacy
Resources to support Mental Health Literacy and required educational programming
Delaware adopted the CDC definition for Mental Health to ground the work with House Bill 301.
“Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from early childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Positive mental health in childhood includes reaching developmental and emotional milestones and learning healthy social and emotional skills to enhance wellbeing and employ strategies for coping adaptively with challenges.” – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022
This legislation requires the implementation of state-wide mental health educational programs for each grade in all Delaware school districts and charter schools.
The Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) promotes an integrated multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) in Delaware public schools to address the needs of all learners, in accordance with Delaware MTSS Regulation 508.
Delaware recognizes the importance of each of the five Mental Health Literacy Competencies and promotes the inclusion of each one and the accompanying Sub-competencies within a comprehensive K-12 Mental Health educational program.
Mental Health Educational Programs Selection Tools
The MHEP Selection Tools provide lists of approved K-12 comprehensive, age, and developmentally appropriate programs to support mental health education.
