The Texas legislature passed a measure in early May that would allow public schools to hire chaplains to help counselors combat the ever-growing mental health crisis, CBN reported.

A version of the bill apparently moved through the Texas Senate in April, and the House passed an amended version on Tuesday evening. Some 89 House members voted in favor, with 58 opposing, CBN noted.

The purpose of the bill is to give every school as many tools as possible to combat mental health and other crises, Republican State rep. Cole Hefner said of the decision. Texas is currently facing a shortage of mental health professionals, with an average of one counselor to nearly 400 students.

Critics Hate Christians

Critics of the bill are reportedly complaining that helping the children of Texas will lead to a Christian influence over state schools. One Democrat, State Rep. Gene Wu, even tried to bar schools from using public funds to help children with chaplain-supported mental health care.

National School Chaplain Association CEO Rocky Malloy argued that the bill would increase school safety while not intruding upon their religious rights or beliefs. “Chaplains operate within an individual’s belief and convictions — they are not working to convert people to religion,” Malloy noted.

Schools Boards Get The Final Say, But So Do You

School boards ultimately get to decide whether public schools in their districts will hire chaplains, according to RNS. If you live in Texas, make sure your elected officials know how you want them to act on your behalf. Tell them today by signing up for www.Change. MillionVoices.org today (text MV to 80550). We’ll ensure that your voice is always heard.

Even if you’re not based in Texas, this bill could have a huge impact in your state. Tell your officials that you support the use of chaplains to help combat the mental health crisis in all schools.