Amendment ID: S2572-19

Amendment 19

Ensuring Access to Mental Health Supports in K-12 Schools

Ms. Rausch moves that the proposed new draft be amended in Section 2 by striking the words “and (vi)” in line 116 and inserting in place thereof the following words:- (vi) ensure that each elementary and each secondary school in the commonwealth is staffed with at least one school mental health professional; provided, that for purposes of this paragraph, the term “school mental health professional” shall mean a school counselor, a school psychologist, or a school social worker; provided further, that school mental health professionals shall be provided at a ratio of at least one per 250 students; provided further, that consistent with applicable scopes of practice, school mental health professionals may: (A) provide mental health services to students; (B) offer training and resources to school faculty and administrators; (C) provide the school with culturally competent, linguistically diverse resources to develop and improve the social and emotional health of students; (D) provide direct social and emotional skill building; (E) assist students and their families with applying for and obtaining necessary public benefits for which each student and the student’s family is eligible; (F) provide services and supports to students who have an individualized education program; (G) consult and coordinate with other school professionals on behalf of students and support families accessing community-based resources as needed and appropriate; and (H) identify food insecurity, homelessness, and other issues affecting students and make referrals to services with the community, bringing those services into the school where possible; and (vii).