(lively music) - I'm Starla Sampaco in the Crosscut KCTS 9 newsroom.

Washington students can officially take mental health days now.

Because of a new law, schools can accept mental health symptoms in the definition of excused absences, just as they do physical health symptoms.

This formalizes allowing students to take days off to care for their mental health, which includes counseling and behavioral health appointments.

However, the law does not allow students to excuse themselves and each district will come up with its own requirements.

For example, if a note from a doctor or parent will be needed.

Last year, governor Jay Inslee, declared youth mental health as a statewide emergency, citing increasing crisis calls, hospitalizations, and suspected suicide attempts.

Washington is now 1 of 12 states that specifically allows students to take excused mental health days off.

I'm Starla Sampaco, find nonprofit Northwest news every day on crosscut.com.

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