Lakota students returned to school Tuesday. Despite having to wear masks, many kids said they were happy to be back in class with friends."I'm feeling excited but a little nervous because I've been in VLO for over a year," said Bryce Jones, a Lakota East student. Jones has asthma, so last year, virtual learning was a better option for him. Now, he's vaccinated which sets his father, Careem Jones' mind at ease."It's been tough being home, so we felt its time to integrate with students," Careem Jones said. Adam Douglas isn't just new to Lakota East, he's also new to the country. He just moved here from Jordan a few weeks ago."Feeling good, something new in my life," Douglas said. What's not new is Lakota's mandatory mask policy."When they said we were going to have masks mandatory, I'm like, 'Well, we did it last year and you get used to it, so you can do it again,'" said Lakota East student Kaitlin Dwomoh. Lakota superintendent Matt Miller told WLWT on Tuesday if COVID cases stay low during the next few weeks, the mask mandate could be reversed, but students aren't banking on it just yet."I feel like we're going to have masks for a while because COVID is just going to keep ramping up. This is not going to be our last variant, and I kind of want people to get used to being close but still far away enough that we don't have to worry," Dwomoh said.

A Baltimore restaurant is taking the city's indoor mask mandate one step further and is requiring customers to bring proof of COVID-19 vaccination in order to enter. The policy is plastered on the front door of Silver Queen Cafe — customers ages 12 and up only get in if they have proof they're fully vaccinated.Jason Daniloski, the co-owner of Silver Queen Cafe, said he rather potentially lose his business than lose a life. Daniloski put the new policy in place last week Friday."We just kind of took the plunge. It's a little awkward. I used to be a doorman a long time ago, so it almost feels like you're in the club again checking IDs when you come in," he said.Customers who refuse to show proof or wear a mask indoors will have to wait outside to pick up food or dine at tables out front."Customers have been very supportive, and it was scary because we do need every cent. It's a scary time when you need every cent, and to make up for lost revenue from last year," Daniloski said.Currently, Baltimore City is under a reinstated indoor mask mandate, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. So far, the city's positivity rate sits at 2.6% while Baltimore has seen a 439% rise in cases within the last four weeks.Daniloski is taking a stance, trying to keep the COVID-19 numbers down, even if it means putting safety over profit."It was just a risk we had to take. I mean, I'd rather lose my business than my life, or my family's life, or anybody else's life," Daniloski said.The owners said the policy will remain in place until cases begin to drop.

CINCINNATI —

Thursday is a big day for students as a new school year starts for some in several local school districts.

It's exciting, but uncertain as COVID-19 protocols continue to be adjusted.

Some schools are still deciding mask and COVID-19 protocols and on Wednesday night, the Forest Hills School District made a decision that came with cheers and jeers from parents.

The meeting was full and at one point, a board member cast the incorrect vote twice.

Parents appeared to have had enough before it ever really started.

"I just felt like (Gov. Mike) DeWine lifted that and said we could take them off and I don't want to put it back on and I don't want my children to put it back on either," parent Shawna Myers said.

Parents, students, and community members all stood outside Nagel Middle School greeting school leaders with signs against masks.

Their signs were on display during a meeting of the Forest Hills School Board, where masks were the task at hand.

"I believe that students should wear masks for their protection and for the protection of others," board member Dee Dee Choice said.

"I don't understand why we would do things differently when our goal shouldn't be to experiment. Our goal should be to make sure every child has the ability to learn in person," board member Dr. Leslie Rasmussen said.

"They struggle to learn when they can't fundamentally interact with each other. So to mask them out of fear of what might happen is outrageous," board Member Elizabeth Maier said.

At the end of the night, the board decided for elementary school students, masks will be required in instructional settings, but not in hallways, restrooms or at recess.

For secondary students, masks are optional.

The big concerns appeared to surrounded quarantines and contact tracing.

Members said last year, about 400 children were out with COVID-19 cases leading to about 4,000 in quarantine who did not get sick.

Parents in masks also took part in the meeting, supporting the mask effort.

Unfortunately, we were unable to catch up with them after the meeting.

They appeared to support any mask policy, with one woman saying she did not want her children near unmasked kids.

But those who were protesting said no mask policy is the right policy.

"I don't believe it'll have any effect at controlling the spread. I think the cases will continue to rise in the cold and flu season. We'll have another failed mitigation strategy," parent Scott Nelson said.

As part of the motion the board passed, the school district will revisit mask protocols for schools on Sept. 13 basing any changes on data and the situation at the time.

The Forest Hills School District includes Anderson and Turpin high schools and Ayer, Maddux, Mercer, Sherwood, Summit and Wilson elementary schools.

It serves more than 7,300 students in Anderson Township and the Village of Newtown.

Studies have shown that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused more people around the globe to experience depression, anxiety and substance abuse. Now, a bipartisan policy center has created a task force to look into those specific issues and is proposing solutions that can help.

“The Bipartisan Policy Center is proposing that we advance the idea of integrating primary care and behavioral health services,” said Dr. Regina Benjamin, a former surgeon with the task force.

Benjamin is a doctor in a small town near Mobile, Alabama. She says in her own practice, she spends a lot of time looking for behavioral health specialists that can take patients in need of mental health care.

Part of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s new suggestions is to expand training to primary care providers so they can handle the treatment for mild to moderate mental health and substance abuse conditions. They also suggest bringing mental health nurses or psychiatrists into the same office as primary care physicians and have mental health providers available to provide care through telehealth.

“It would be so much more helpful if we had an integrated electronic health record that integrated with the psychiatrists or psychologists. Right now, those records don't talk to each other,” Benjamin said.

The Bipartisan Policy Center report also suggests moving to “value-based” care payment structures so doctors aren’t paid just for checking blood pressure but improving it.

The Center also wants to see Medicare coverage of telehealth permanently expanded.

“In the end, basically, this integrated system will improve access to services access to care. It improves the outcomes, it decreases the health disparities, it's cost-effective, it saves the system money and, at the end of the day, it helps us become a more healthy nation.”

The report mentions several states already moving toward physical and mental health care integration, demonstrating positive results and lowering costs through Medicaid.