May is mental health month. Statistics tell us one in five people suffers with some form of mental illness. Suicide is the No. 1 medical cause of death in people aged 11 to 24.

In this country, there is a general lack of knowledge regarding mental illness. Ironically, the least empathy exists in the more educated demographic. This is evident by the media’s treatment of obviously severely disturbed individuals who commit bizarre acts.

It is time for our public school systems to step up and implement a plan for mental health education. A curriculum, “Red Flags in Children’s Behavior,” has already been developed and can be purchased online.

This is a mental health education program for students, parents and teachers. The red flags program has saved many lives.