Bill Text: TX HB353 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the assignment of certain behavioral health professionals to certain public schools.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-02-16 - Referred to Public Education [HB353 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB353-Introduced.html
| By: Bernal | H.B. No. 353 | |
|
|
||
|
|
||
| relating to the assignment of certain behavioral health | ||
| professionals to certain public schools. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 33, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 33.910 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 33.910. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL. (a) In this | ||
| section, "behavioral health professional" means: | ||
| (1) a licensed specialist in school psychology | ||
| licensed under Chapter 501, Occupations Code; | ||
| (2) a licensed professional counselor licensed under | ||
| Chapter 503, Occupations Code; | ||
| (3) a licensed clinical social worker licensed under | ||
| Chapter 505, Occupations Code; or | ||
| (4) a school counselor with an appropriate certificate | ||
| or permit issued under Subchapter B, Chapter 21. | ||
| (b) A school district shall assign at least one behavioral | ||
| health professional to each campus in the district in which 50 | ||
| percent or more of the students in average daily attendance at the | ||
| campus are educationally disadvantaged, homeless as defined by 42 | ||
| U.S.C. Section 11302, or in the conservatorship of the Department | ||
| of Family and Protective Services. | ||
| (c) A school district may not require a behavioral health | ||
| professional assigned under this section to administer assessment | ||
| instruments or provide other assistance in connection with | ||
| assessment instruments. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 42.2519 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 42.2519. ADDITIONAL STATE AID FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH | ||
| PROFESSIONALS. (a) For each school year, from funds that may be | ||
| used for the purpose, a school district is entitled to state aid in | ||
| an amount, as determined by the commissioner, sufficient to assist | ||
| the district in employing the number of behavioral health | ||
| professionals required by Section 33.910. | ||
| (b) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to | ||
| administer this section. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2018-2019 | ||
| school year. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. | ||
