SALISBURY, Md. — In Wicomico County, Maryland, a concerning trend has emerged in schools: the frequent use of emergency psychiatric evaluations for students, often involving police transport to hospital emergency rooms. Over the past eight years, this process has been implemented at least 750 times, affecting students as young as 5.
Maryland’s law permitting these evaluations, designed for individuals with severe mental health crises posing a danger to themselves or others, is now facing scrutiny for its application in school settings. Advocates argue that schools nationwide are increasingly resorting to emergency room visits for issues stemming from bullying or academic frustrations, rather than addressing underlying needs.
Data indicates a disproportionate impact on Black students and those with disabilities, highlighting potential systemic biases in the implementation of these measures. Despite a 2017 settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, where Wicomico County schools agreed not to misuse emergency petitions, there’s been an uptick in mandated ER visits, even as suspensions and expulsions have decreased.
Dan Stewart, managing attorney at the National Disability Rights Network, points out a concerning trend: schools are more focused on removing troubled students than addressing their needs and keeping them integrated. This raises questions about the adequacy of support systems within the education system to handle mental health and behavioral issues among students.