CHICAGO, Ill. (WTVO) — Critics of a new law that will make Illinois the first state in the country to conduct annual mental health screenings of school children say the plan will do more harm than good.

The law, signed by Gov. JB Pritkzer and going into effect during the 2027-2028 school year, will require schools to conduct the yearly screenings, using digital or paper forms, to help officials identify signs of depression, anxiety, or trauma before they become mental health crises.

"I want to be on-the-record and crystal clear. This is a disastrous policy that will do vastly more harm than good," said Abigail Shrier, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, according to FOX News. "Watch as tens of thousands of Illinois kids get shoved into the mental health funnel and convinced they are sic

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