Bill Text: NJ S2248 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes pilot program to create student mental health assistance programs in selected school districts.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee [S2248 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S2248-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
Senator NILSA I. CRUZ-PEREZ
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes pilot program to create student mental health assistance programs in selected school districts.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning student mental health assistance and supplementing chapter 40 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Education shall establish a four-year pilot program in which participating school districts will establish a mental health assistance program for students in grades kindergarten through 12. The purposes of the pilot program shall be to identify issues affecting student mental health and the possible impact of those issues on academic performance, and to provide intervention, support, and referral services in a confidential setting to help students who may be experiencing mental health difficulties.
b. Under the pilot program, each participating school district shall create a mental health assistance program to serve students who attend the schools of the district in any of the grades kindergarten through 12. A mental health assistance program created by a participating school district shall include, at a minimum, the following elements:
(1) identification of students who may be experiencing personal, school, or family difficulties impacting the student's mental health, regardless of whether the difficulties may be associated with alcohol or other drug-related concerns;
(2) procedures for the referral of students who may be experiencing such difficulties to the mental health assistance program. Referrals may be made by a student's parent or guardian, teachers or other school staff, or by student self-referral;
(3) voluntary participation on the part of the student and full confidentiality with regard to receiving services from the program;
(4) the ability for students to confidentially express their feelings and concerns in a safe place and to acquire personal skills development leading to student success in the school setting;
(5) providing mental health education, support, and intervention services for students served by the program in order to foster risk reduction and positive asset development and to ensure an environment for students that is safe and alcohol and drug-free;
(6) providing referrals, where appropriate, to community agencies and resources that may help address the particular needs of the student; and
(7) the goal of providing mental health support services to students that promote and increase factors including, but not limited to: academic achievement and good grades; positive attitudes toward school; attendance and likelihood of staying in school; the ability to communicate and express feelings appropriately; and students' sense of self-worth and formation of positive relationships.
A participating school district shall appoint one or more student assistance counselors to facilitate the district's mental health assistance program. Student assistance counselors shall act as a resource for the entire school community and shall work with students or groups in a confidential setting to carry out the work of the program. Student assistance counselors shall also build connections within the local community to enable them to act as a source of information and referrals to various community agencies and resources. Student assistance counselors shall receive specialized prevention and intervention training to identify and address the needs of the school district's students and schools, and shall participate in ongoing professional development in order to best serve the students and schools.
c. A school district that wishes to participate in the pilot program shall submit an application to the Commissioner of Education, which includes a description of the district's proposal for creating a mental health assistance program, factors that support the district's current need for such a program, the district's plans for funding any costs associated with the mental health assistance program following the completion of the pilot program, and any other information as prescribed by the commissioner.
d. The commissioner shall select up to 15 school districts for participation in the pilot program. To the maximum extent possible, the commissioner shall select school districts in the northern, central, and southern regions of the State and shall seek a cross section of school districts from urban, suburban, and rural areas.
2. a. At the conclusion of the pilot program, each participating school district shall submit a report to the commissioner. The report from each district shall include, at a minimum, information on the number of students who were served by the mental health assistance program, including the number of students in each grade level; the number of staff who served as student assistance counselors under the program; any voluntary feedback collected from students, staff, and parents regarding the program; and the school district's views on the success and benefits of the program.
b. After receiving the reports from each participating school district, the commissioner shall submit a report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), on the implementation and effectiveness of the pilot program. The report shall include the commissioner's recommendation on the advisability of the program's continuation and expansion to additional school districts in the State.
3. This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a four-year pilot program in which the participating school districts will establish a mental health assistance program for students in grades kindergarten through 12. The purposes of the pilot program are to identify issues affecting student mental health and the possible impact of those issues on academic performance, and to provide intervention, support, and referral services in a confidential setting to help students who may be experiencing mental health difficulties.
A school district that wants to participate in the pilot program will submit an application and proposal to the Commissioner of Education, and the commissioner will select up to 15 school districts for participation. Each participating school district will create a mental health assistance program which, among other things: identifies students who may be experiencing personal, school, or family difficulties impacting the student's mental health, regardless of whether the difficulties are associated with alcohol or other drug-related concerns; establishes procedures for the referral of students to the program; provides mental health education, support, and intervention services for students served by the program in order to foster risk reduction and positive asset development; and provides referrals, where appropriate, to community agencies and resources that may help address the particular needs of the student.
In order to facilitate the mental health assistance program, each participating school district is required to appoint one or more student assistance counselors, who will act as a resource for the entire school community and will work with students or groups in a confidential setting to carry out the work of the program. Student assistance counselors must receive specialized prevention and intervention training, and participate in ongoing professional development, in order to best serve the needs of the school district's students and schools.
At the conclusion of the pilot program, the bill requires each participating school district to submit a report to the Commissioner of Education containing certain information on the district's mental health assistance program as well as voluntary feedback collected from students, staff, and parents regarding the program. The bill directs the commissioner, after receiving the reports from the participating districts, to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature on the implementation and effectiveness of the pilot program and the commissioner's recommendation on the advisability of the program's continuation and expansion to additional school districts in the State.
