Bill Text: NJ A3195 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes Mental Health Awareness Pilot Program in DOE.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee [A3195 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A3195-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman AURA K. DUNN
District 25 (Morris and Passaic)
Assemblywoman CAROL A. MURPHY
District 7 (Burlington)
Assemblyman ANTHONY S. VERRELLI
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Simonsen
SYNOPSIS
Establishes Mental Health Awareness Pilot Program in DOE.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act establishing a Mental Health Awareness Pilot Program in the Department of Education.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Education shall establish a two-year Mental Health Awareness Pilot Program, the purpose of which is to address mental health issues prevalent among middle and high school students. School districts that are selected to participate in the pilot program shall identify and implement innovative methods to increase mental health awareness among students and provide students with coping skills necessary to manage life stressors that give rise to or exacerbate mental health issues.
b. A school district that includes a middle or high school, or both, and wishes to participate in the pilot program shall submit an application to the commissioner. The application shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) a description of the school district including the number of enrolled students; absenteeism rates; academic performance indicators, including the percentage of students not meeting expectations on State assessments; and the percentage of enrolled students who qualify for free or reduced price lunch under the federal School Lunch Program;
(2) the number of psychologists, social workers, and guidance counselors working in the targeted grade levels in the school district;
(3) an inventory of mental health services currently provided by the school district to students in the targeted grade levels; and
(4) any other information the commissioner deems appropriate.
c. After reviewing the applications submitted pursuant to subsection b. of this section, the commissioner shall select six school districts for participation in the pilot program. The commissioner shall select school districts in each of the northern, central, and southern regions of the State and shall seek a cross section of school districts from urban, suburban, and rural areas.
d. Two years following the establishment of the pilot program, 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). The report shall contain information on the implementation of the pilot program and shall include the commissioner's recommendation on the advisability of continuing or expanding the program.
2. This act shall take effect
immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Commissioner of Education to establish a two-year Mental Health Awareness Pilot Program, the purpose of which is to address mental health issues prevalent among middle and high school students. The school districts that are selected to participate in the pilot program will identify innovative methods to increase mental health awareness among students and provide students with coping skills necessary to manage the various life stressors that give rise to or exacerbate mental health issues.
Under this bill, a school district that wishes to participate in the pilot program will submit an application to the commissioner. The application will include (1) a description of the school district including the number of enrolled students; absenteeism rates; academic performance indicators; and the percentage of enrolled students who qualify for free or reduced price lunch under the federal School Lunch Program; (2) the number of psychologists, social workers, and guidance counselors working in the school district; (3) an inventory of mental health services currently provided by the school district; and (4) any other information the commissioner deems appropriate.
This bill directs the commissioner to select six school districts to participate in the pilot program. The commissioner will select school districts in each of the northern, central, and southern regions of the State and seek a cross section of school districts from urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Under this bill, the commissioner will submit a report to the Governor and Legislature two years after the establishment of the pilot program. The report will contain information on the implementation of the pilot program and the commissioner's recommendation on the advisability of continuing or expanding the program.
