Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez, who represents Norwood, is proposing students take look after their mental health more by introducing a bill that would allocate mental and behavior days for students during the school year. 

“Given, well, the current conversation and rightful awareness to the issue of students need that extra help. We have seen how some students can act out because of the balance school, and home life, maybe bullying within the school. This is just to give them that time that is needed,” Fernandez told the Norwood News. 

Fernandez introduced the bill on Aug. 23. The change would involve the state Department of Education, which would carve out the days.

Fernandez is partnering with different non-profits, advocates that can aid in its passage when the State Legislature officially begins its session in January next year. Her partnerships include National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Trevor Project, New York Association of School Psychologists, and The America Foundation of Suicide. State Sen. Bradley Hoylman is the Senate sponsor for the bill.

“This, to me, seems like the proper step for children to get the assistance they need,” Fernandez said.

If the bill is passed during sessions the commissioner of the Department of Health will determine the number of days the student receives, how they can take them, and what counts as a mental health day.

The bill now sits in the Education Committee chaired by her Bronx colleague, Assemblyman Michael Benedetto.