Republican Reps Prepare For Special Session With Mental Health As A Focus, But At What Cost?
Photo Credit: TennesseeHouseReps / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Kelly M. Jackson] –
Recent eyewitness reports said that at a recent GOP meeting In Tellico, Representative Jason Zachary indicated that perhaps coming into the special session slated for the middle of August and then immediately adjourning would be a mistake. Zachary indicated that maybe this would be an opportunity to focus on mental health issues in the state.
While most people would not disagree that mental health is an issue that needs addressing, there is some disagreement on what that would look like.
Most believe that “Addressing mental health issues” in the theoretical is all fine and well. But if there isn’t specific care taken in how the issues are addressed in the practical, there can be serious implications in ways many people would not have considered.
The Tennessee Conservative reported on the implications of a mental health focus for the special session, and what that means for potential construction of what have been called “Red Flag” laws. These are laws that have the potential for stigmatizing those who have sought mental health counseling, or maybe utilize a specific type of drug which has a labeled use for mental or emotional health care treatment and subjecting these Tennesseans to a test to prove that those actualities do not make them a threat to the safety of themselves and/or others so they can access their rights. This is a violation of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bruen.
However, there is another aspect to using the upcoming special session for the focus of mental health, and that is one that would impact Tennessee children in a way perhaps most Tennessee parents might not have even conceived of. Unless of course, you live In Jefferson County, where what happened there last year, has the potential to become the reality for every county in the state of Tennessee.
Last year, Jefferson County Schools contracted with a company called Allied behavioral Health. This contract was for a dozen or so master’s level counselors to be provided office space and receive referrals for children in their district for mental health counseling for all ages that attend the public schools in that district.
According to reports, the organization was treating as many as 700 students and received a total of $200,000 to cover deductibles and co-pays for students who’s insurance would then be billed for the remainder of the treatment.
The reason for the concern is that based on a review of Allied Health and its social media, as well as their website, they have a devotion to supporting and upholding the LGBTQ+ agenda, as well as the social justice DEI narrative that pervades our current culture.
Last year, extensive reporting was done through local media outlets, and local grassroots organizations sounded the alarm about what was happening in Jefferson County. All of these efforts led to the Jefferson County GOP requesting that the school board remove Allied and all their counselors from the schools in Jefferson County.
The school board elected to keep Allied in their district, but due to the response from concerned citizens and the push back that resulted, Allied scrubbed both their website and all of their social media of any references to LGBTQIA+ related issues such as gender, sexuality, or PRIDE.
Their Twitter has been scrubbed of the last 3 years of posts, as well as their Instagram, and even their mission statement on their website. However, some of those images had already been captured for posterity.
So, if you were wondering what a “focus on mental health” might look like in the state of Tennessee, Jefferson County is a perfect example.
Before there is any criticism of that statement being speculative, everyone should be reminded of the failed initiative by the former State Commissioner of Education, Penny Schwinn, that would have sent a social worker to the doorstep of every child in the Tennessee public school system. That initiative nearly came to pass and seemed to pop up out of nowhere. That program would have been implemented if not for the resistance of the parents of Tennessee children.
The Tennessee Conservative encourages every reader to contact their state representative and encourage them to adjourn the special session as soon as it starts, in order to avoid any uses of taxpayer money that could not only violate our 2nd Amendment rights, but also create yet another opportunity for progressive minded organizations to infiltrate the state’s education system.
About the Author: Kelly Jackson is a recent escapee from corporate America, and a California refugee to Tennessee. Christ follower, Wife and Mom of three amazing teenagers. She has a BA in Comm from Point Loma Nazarene University, and has a background in law enforcement and human resources. Since the summer of 2020, she has spent any and all free time in the trenches with local grassroots orgs, including Mom’s for Liberty Williamson County and Tennessee Stands as a core member. Outspoken advocate for parents rights, medical freedom, and individual liberty. Kelly can be reached at kelly@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
This is not right. We the parents and grandparents of students do not want this taught in Tennessee! All our children should be taught to believe in God. In one nation, under God! Do not fall for these people who are trying to get our children to believe these lies! They are confusing our children who are too young to know what is being taught in schools!
Addressing mental health is fine but they are going about it all wrong. When you teach children to be mentally ill you will read mentally ill children and young adults. When doctors and big pharma push mind altering drugs then even the blind can see the results. We have become a soft society that takes pills for everything. America has many problems and most are brought on by ourselves. The solutions do not involve pills in most cases. I’m afraid the root causes will never be addressed.
NOT in the schools! Any mental health resources should NOT be connected with the schools.
Excellent article. Something is hinky with this whole thing. Lee could/should wait on red flag laws until Jan 2024. Switching it to get mental health marxists in the schools would not be surprising.
Parents and grandparents should REMOVE their kids from government schools. They are being sacrificed. And there is no refrain.
Mental health needs addressing for sure but not counseling to encourage LGBDQ or what ever. The latest study shows that the Trans community as well as LGBDQ are more likely to commit suicide than others. If this is not a warning what is to this confusion that America has embraced.
Yup, lucifer’s pubic ejikashun.