Obtaining the necessary resources for today's mental health related issues is not cheap; however, our team has reached a conclusion that provides not only a solution for today's students, but also creates the promise of a better tomorrow in regards to the reduction of the stigma surrounding mental health.

We will use an educational approach to tackle the issue at hand. What does this mean exactly?

To obtain the status of a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), one must obtain a set number of hours in practicing counseling prior to the completion of their educational pathway. However, obtaining these hours can be painful as current therapy centers across the state of Arkansas are packed with already practicing licensed therapists. Instead, we can use these upcoming students to the advantage of students in need.

Using funding from the Arkansas Legislature, a hired supervisor would oversee approximately ten individuals trying to complete their LPC pathway. These supervisors would be contracted in using outside therapy companies, such as Chenal Family Therapy, and the individuals under their domain would also be working through said companies. These individuals in-training would be stationed on campus of public high schools across Arkansas, and would be able to counsel with students as needed. However, if an issue was to arise that these individuals would feel is out of their understanding or current knowledge, the supervisor would travel to the respective school and handle the issue themselves, thus mollifying the situation and educating the LPC in-training in the process.

Ultimately, this solution not only allows students within Arkansas Public High Schools to receive the necessary counseling that they are currently being denied, but also allows the professionals within the mental health field to be properly trained and become qualified to ensure that the future of Arkansas is constructed with appropriate mental health and therapy knowledge.

Any information stated in this section is a result of the following stipulations for receiving medical treatment.

Arkansas State Senate Bill 340 of the 92nd General Assembly (http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2019/2019R/Acts/ACT690.pdf)

HealthIT.gov

https://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/appa9-1.pdf

Ken Clark and Nicky Myers

(Chenal Family Therapy)

Current Age Stipulations within Arkansas

"Anyone who has passed hunter education may legally hunt by themselves, regardless of age."

(Arkansas Game and Fish's Code of Regulations)

"The Arkansas Age of [Sexual] Consent is 16 years old."

(ageofconsent.net)

ASUMH hopes to prove that students deserve the right to seek treatment without having to obtain parental consent first. After talking with Cabot's own high school counselors, they have admitted that they cannot act without having the consent of parents to help students under the age of 18. If any child within the state of Arkansas who simply passes a hunter education course can hold and fire a gun without the supervision of an adult, for example, then said minor should also be allowed to obtain medical treatment in relations to mental health as well.

As a result of a meeting with Ken Clark and Nicky Myers of Chenal Family Therapy, we have realized that young adult voice and action is a powerful weapon. With this in mind, we are hoping to erect a program within the Cabot community, as a start, in cooperation with the Chenal Family Therapy company that will have volunteer therapist come and teach small lessons on both lifesaving programs and helpful counseling advice that students may be able to incorporate into their conversations to help their peers in troubled times. Once this program is set in place, we will invite citizens from across the state of Arkansas, including yourself, to come and listen to the professional advice given free of charge. Please keep in touch with our social media outlets to hear about the progress of these programs as we hope to establish them in the coming months.