Bill Text: MO HB2223 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to establish a comprehensive school-based mental health program for students dealing with trauma and violence
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-05-16 - Referred: Elementary and Secondary Education(H) [HB2223 Detail]
Download: Missouri-2014-HB2223-Introduced.html
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE PETERS.
6495L.01I D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To amend chapter 161, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to school-based comprehensive mental health programs.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 161, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 161.995, to read as follows:
161.995. 1. The department of elementary and secondary education in collaboration with the department of mental health shall establish a comprehensive school-based mental health program to assist children in dealing with trauma and violence. Using moneys from the school-based mental health program fund established in subsection 5 of this section, the department of elementary and secondary education shall:
(1) Provide financial support to enable local communities to implement a comprehensive culturally and linguistically appropriate, and age-appropriate, school mental health program that incorporates positive behavioral interventions and treatment, and fosters the health and development of children;
(2) Provide technical assistance to local communities with respect to the development of school mental health programs;
(3) Provide assistance to local communities in the development of policies to address child and adolescent trauma and mental health issues and violence when and if it occurs;
(4) Facilitate community partnerships among families, students, law enforcement agencies, education systems, mental health agencies, substance abuse agencies, family-based mental health service systems, welfare agencies, health care service systems, faith-based programs, trauma networks, and other community-based systems; and
(5) Establish mechanisms for children and adolescents to report incidents of violence or plans by other children, adolescents, or adults to commit violence.
2. Individual school programs established in local communities under this section shall have the following objectives:
(1) The promotion of the social, emotional, and behavioral health of all students in an environment that is conducive to learning;
(2) The reduction in the likelihood of at-risk students developing social, emotional, behavioral health problems, or substance abuse disorders;
(3) The early identification of social, emotional, behavioral problems, or substance use disorders and the provision of early intervention services;
(4) The treatment or referral for treatment of students with existing social, emotional, behavioral health problems, or substance use disorders; and
(5) The development and implementation of programs to assist children in dealing with trauma and violence.
3. The department of elementary and secondary education shall provide for in-service training of all school personnel, including ancillary staff and volunteers in the following areas:
(1) The techniques and supports needed to identify early children with trauma histories and children with, or at risk of, mental illness;
(2) The use of referral mechanisms that effectively link such children to appropriate treatment and intervention services in the school and in the community and to follow up when services are not available;
(3) Strategies that promote a school-wide positive environment;
(4) Strategies for promoting the social, emotional, mental, and behavioral health of all students; and
(5) Strategies to increase the knowledge and skills of school and community leaders about the impact of trauma and violence and on the application of a public health approach to comprehensive school-based mental health programs.
4. The department of elementary and secondary education shall ensure that comprehensive training is available at the local community level for parents, siblings, and other family members of children with mental health disorders, that provides instruction in:
(1) The techniques and supports needed to identify early children with trauma histories and children with, or at risk of, mental illness;
(2) The use of referral mechanisms that effectively link such children to appropriate treatment and intervention services in the school and in the community and to follow up when services are not available;
(3) Strategies that promote a school-wide positive environment.
5. There is hereby created in the state treasury the "School-based Mental Health Program Fund", which shall consist of money appropriated to it by the general assembly and any gifts, contributions, grants, or bequests received from federal, private, or other sources. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund and shall approve disbursements from the fund in accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180. Upon appropriation, money in the fund shall be used solely for the administration of sections 620.3200 to 620.3214. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080, to the contrary, any moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general revenue fund. The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the fund.
6. The department of elementary and secondary education may promulgate all necessary rules and regulations for the administration of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2014, shall be invalid and void.
7. Under section 23.253 of the Missouri sunset act:
(1) The provisions of the new program authorized under this section shall automatically sunset six years after the effective date of this section unless reauthorized by an act of the general assembly; and
(2) If such program is reauthorized, the program authorized under this section shall automatically sunset twelve years after the effective date of the reauthorization of this section; and
(3) This section shall terminate on September first of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the program authorized under this section is sunset.
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