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Mental health is being taken more seriously now, than ever before.

The National Basketball Association is doing its part to ensure that continues. The NBA has announced they will be implementing a program requiring all 30 NBA teams to have at least one mental health professional with a license in their field assigned to staff, along with making sure that a licensed sports psychiatrist is made available to all players when needed.

According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, teams must also have a “written plan of action” in case of a mental health emergency. They must also ensure the upmost of confidentiality should a play confide in them with their mental health issues.

These issues have come to the forefront in the NBA recently with star players like Kevin Love, and Demar DeRozan openly speaking about their troubles dealing with depression and anxiety.

And back in 2012 for NBA Draft pick Royce White said he was blackballed from the league because of his troubled with mental health. He initially put pressure on the NBA to do something about the mental health of its players.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has acknowledged these issues before stating that “When I meet with NBA players who have expressed concern on this front, what strikes me is that they’re truly unhappy, a lot of these young men are generally unhappy.”

These new guidelines will take effect immediately.

NBA Implements New Team Guidelines Concerning Mental Health  was originally published on cassiuslife.com