RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — A bill aimed at expanding mental health support for young athletes is advancing to North Carolina lawmakers after receiving unanimous backing from the state’s high school athletics association.
Senate Bill 550 would require youth athletics coaches to complete training in youth mental health first aid.
“Coaches are often among the first to notice when something is not right. They see the long practices they have, the quiet moments, and the changes and behaviors that others might not see. But for too long, we have expected them to carry that responsibility without giving them the proper tools or the training that is necessary,” said Sen. Caleb Theodros, a Democrat who represents Mecklenburg County and is one of the bill’s sponsors.
April Simpkins, a parent and mental health advocate, said coaches often serve as important figures in young athletes’ lives.
They talk to their coaches a lot about their physical health, what they’re feeling, what they’re experiencing. And so it is not a great leap to then talk about what’s going on with their mental health.
– April Simpkins, parent and mental health advocate
“My children have always viewed their coaches as a trusted resource,” Simpkins said.
Simpkins is the mother of three Division I athletes, including Cheslie Kryst, a former University of South Carolina track and field athlete who won Miss USA in 2019.
“Cheslie was phenomenal, but she battled a mental illness called persistent depressive disorder, which meant she dealt with a low-grade depression almost constantly,” said Simpkins.
Kryst died by suicide three years later.
“Her passing affected our entire family, including my youngest, who is 17 (years old) and still plays basketball,” Simpkins said. “For a coach to have the right language to support my son, who is dealing with something very personal but also very public, was very important to us. And his coach knew how to handle that.”
Simpkins said Senate Bill 550 would help ensure more coaches are prepared to respond appropriately when athletes face mental health challenges.
“They talk to their coaches a lot about their physical health, what they’re feeling, what they’re experiencing. And so it is not a great leap to then talk about what’s going on with their mental health,” Simpkins said.
The measure would require youth athletics coaches to receive training in youth mental health first aid, including recognizing signs and symptoms of mental health challenges and substance abuse, assisting youth who are experiencing mental health challenges, and connecting youth with professional resources that can provide additional care.
Further, the bill states: “No county or city shall allow a youth athletics organization to access county or city-owned parks, recreational centers, or recreational facilities unless the youth athletics organization can demonstrate that all coaches possess an unexpired certification from a youth mental health first aid training program.”
“I think helping the coaches to look for different things as far as ‘hey, is my player engaged?’ Where are their eyes? Are they listening to me? Are they being robotic? Is this a moment for positive reinforcement? And is it a moment for me to kind of pick you up a little bit or pull you to the side? I think just broadening the lens of how you can get the most out of your players can help you make a better impact as a coach. I think it’s a win-win for everybody,” said Bradford Hill, a licensed mental health therapist.
Hill, who works with youth athletes, specializes in sports psychology.
“Particularly for my age, 14, 15, 16-year-old athletes, they’re still finding their words for like, this is actually what I’m feeling,” Hill said. “This is actually what I’m experiencing. This is how I feel before tip-off, or this is how I feel before kickoff.”
He explains that the training would provide tools that were not widely emphasized in previous years.
“It sharpens the toolkit, if you will, for coaching this way to ultimately say this is something that we would have missed five years ago or 10 years ago, we can make a difference today. It might change that kid’s life,” Hill said.
In announcing its adoption of the initiative, N.C. High School Athletic Association Commissioner Que Tucker emphasized schools’ responsibility to student-athletes. In a statement, she wrote:
The North Carolina High School Athletic Association Board of Directors’ unanimous vote to require mental health training for head coaches is a meaningful step forward for the students we serve. The NCHSAA is proud of the collaborative work that led to this moment, and how the intent of North Carolina Senate Bill 550 was thoughtfully adapted into a practical, sustainable approach for our schools.
Senators Caleb Theodros and Mujtaba Mohammed, the NC Department of Public Instruction staff, and the NCHSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee collaborated in bringing attention to the importance of mental health training for coaches. Their work helped move this conversation forward in a way that will have a real impact on student-athletes across North Carolina.
This requirement ensures that our head coaches are better prepared to recognize and respond to the mental health needs of student-athletes, and it reflects our shared responsibility to support the whole student. The NCHSAA is grateful to be part of an effort that prioritizes the well-being of young people in such a meaningful way.
The bill is in Committee, though Theodros said it has received support from Senate Republicans. He added that at this juncture, lawmakers are working through the funding element toward costs to cover the respective training.
“For the investment that you’re making out of $30, $40 once-every-three-year-training, think about the second-order effects of a young child that discovers mental health this early,” said Sen. Theodros.
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