When Elmhurst students in grades 3 through 12 return for the 2027-28 school year, their district will be required to offer them annual mental health screenings under a new Illinois law signed by Governor JB Pritzker on July 31, 2025.

SB1560 makes Illinois one of the first states to mandate universal school-based mental health screening. The Illinois State Board of Education must publish model policies and implementation guidance for districts by Tuesday, September 1, 2026.

"With universal screening, we shift from reaction to prevention," Illinois State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders said when the law was signed.

For Elmhurst CUSD 205, which serves more than 8,500 students in grades pre-K-12, the mandate will land on a district that has already been building out its mental health infrastructure. School psychologists like Amanda Berngard at Lincoln Elementary and Sadie Allison-Palmateer at Jackson Elementary work directly with students, teachers, and families on behavioral support, coping strategies, and learning intervention plans.

D205 Superintendent Dr. Keisha Campbell recognized Berngard on July 6 as part of the district's recurring "D205 Spotlight" series, thanking her for her work supporting Lincoln students. Allison-Palmateer received a similar recognition in a separate post.

The district has also invested in family-facing programming. On Tuesday, January 27, D205 hosted a Speaker Series event at Churchville Middle School featuring Dr. Laura Koehler, a licensed clinical psychologist who presented "Understanding Anxiety: Strategies to Support Your Child." The district partners with the School Association for Special Education in DuPage County, known as SASED, to provide specialized programs and staffing for students whose needs can't be fully met within D205, according to materials reviewed at the Tuesday, June 23 Board of Education meeting.

How many school psychologists D205 currently employs district-wide, and whether that staffing level will meet the new screening mandate's demands, remains unclear from public records.

Nationally, school psychologists are in short supply. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 7% employment growth for psychologists from 2023 to 2033, faster than average.

The first day of student attendance for the 2026-27 school year is Thursday, August 13. Families with questions about mental health supports can contact their building's front office.