Bill Allowing Schools To Share Mental Health Info Advances

Legislation that would allow mental health information of college students to be shared with parents is being considered by the Illinois Senate.

The bill HB3599 stipulates colleges would only share information with a student's permission and if students were found to be a danger to themselves or others.

It passed out of a Senate committee Tuesday and heads to the full chamber.

Democratic state Sen. Dave Koehler of Peoria says the bill was inspired by a Bartonville family who lost their college-aged son to suicide last year. Koehler says current state law prevented the student's college from communicating to his parents.

Koehler says the bill "strikes a good balance between privacy and safety rights," and may help prompt students to think about mental illness.