HB 1900-S2 - DIGEST
(AS OF HOUSE 2ND READING 2/15/16)

Specifies that a primary role of school counselors, social workers, and psychologists is to: (1) Focus on student mental health;

(2) Work with at-risk and marginalized students;

(3) Perform risk assessments; and

(4) Collaborate with mental health professionals to promote student achievement and create a safe learning environment.

Requires first-class school districts to, on a monthly basis throughout each school year, provide a minimum of one hour of professional collaboration for school counselors, social workers, and psychologists that focuses on recognizing signs of emotional or behavioral distress in students.

Requires school districts that have mental health centers in their area to collaborate with local licensed mental health service providers under the community mental health services act.

Creates the professional collaboration lighthouse grant program to assist school districts with early adoption and implementation of mental health professional collaboration time.

Requires the superintendent of public instruction to designate two school districts as lighthouse school districts to serve as resources and examples of best practices in designing and operating the professional collaboration program.