Amendment #26 to H4879

Task Force on School Based Behavioral Health Implementation

Ms. Decker of Cambridge moves to amend the bill SECTION 1. Chapter 6A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 16BB the following 2 sections:-

Section 16 CC. (a) There shall be a Task Force on School Based Behavioral Health Implementation. Hereinafter “task force” within, but not subject to control of, the executive office of health and human services. The task force shall advise the governor, the general court, the secretary of education and the secretary of health and human services on the implementation of a multi-tiered system of behavioral health promotion, prevention, and intervention services in each school district.

(b) The task force shall be comprised of:

(i) the following 10 members, who shall serve ex officio: the commissioner of mental health who shall serve as co-chair, the commissioner of education who shall serve as co-chair,  the commissioner of children and families, the commissioner of youth services, the commissioner of developmental services, the commissioner of public health, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, the commissioner of early education and care, the commissioner of insurance, the director of Medicaid, and the child advocate, or their designees;

(ii) additional persons appointed by the secretary of health and human services from the aforementioned agencies and from the executive office of health and human services; and

(iii) 1 person from each of the following organizations appointed by the secretary of health and human services from a list of nominees submitted by each organization:-

MA Association of School Superintendents, MA Association of School Committees, MA Secondary School Administrators Association, MA Elementary School Principals Association,

MA Federation of Teachers, MA Teachers Association, MA Organization of Educational Collaboratives, MA School Counselor Association, MA School Nurse Organization, MA School Based Health Alliance, Massachusetts School Psychological Association, Inc; The Massachusetts chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics; New England Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Inc.; The Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of Social Workers; The Children’s Mental Health Campaign, Children’s League of Massachusetts, Inc, The Association for Behavioral Health, Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Inc.,

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc, Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, Inc. Parent/Professional Advocacy League, Inc; Federation for Children with Special Needs and (v) a representative of a Massachusetts recovery high school and 2 persons under the age of 22 who have received behavioral health services

The members of the task force shall represent the culturally and linguistically diverse populations of children in the Commonwealth.

(c) The Secretary of Health and Human Services or the Secretary of Education may appoint other state agency staff or community members on a permanent or ad hoc basis as necessary to fulfill the purpose of the task force.

(d) The task force shall recommend a timeline for statewide implementation of a multi-tiered system of behavioral health supports for students and bi-annually develop a plan with benchmarks to guide and measure progress toward statewide implementation.

(f) The task force shall develop guidance documents to assist schools in conceptualizing and operationalizing behavioral promotion, prevention and intervention services and supports. The task force shall issue guidance for implementing universal and targeted behavioral health screening models in schools not later than July 31, 2023.

(g) The task force shall establish a permanent data subcommittee. The data subcommittee shall be chaired by the Child Advocate or her designee and include representatives of each state agency appointed to the task force, other members of the task force may serve on the data subcommittee as they are able. The data subcommittee shall compile a cross agency data set for the purpose of enabling the council to make data driven decisions about council priorities and recommendations including recommended resource allocations.

(h) The task force may establish additional subcommittees and invite participation in subcommittees by individuals and organizations who are not council members as needed to accomplish the goals of the council.

(i) The task force shall make legislative and regulatory recommendations related to statewide implementation of a multi-tiered system of behavioral health promotion prevention and intervention services in each school district.

(j) The task force shall submit an annual report, with legislative and regulatory recommendations, annually on  October 1st to the governor, the secretary of health and human services, the commissioner of early education and care, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, the child advocate and the general court, by filing them with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives, the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse and recovery, the joint committee on education and the senate and the house committees on ways and means.

(k) The meetings of the task force shall comply with chapter 30A.

(l)The members of the task force shall not receive a salary or per diem allowance for serving as members of the council.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #26 to H4879

Task Force on School Based Behavioral Health Implementation