Chief Patron: Brewer
Study on School-Based Mental Health Services (language only)

Item 33 #1h

Language

Page 20, after line 42, insert:

"The Commission shall conduct a study of how to maximize school-based mental health services across the Commonwealth. The study shall be overseen by a task force comprised of local school administrators, school-based mental health professions, community-based mental health professionals in public and private settings, teachers, students and parents as well as relevant stakeholders from the Department of Medical Assistance Services, Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, and the Department of Education to evaluate the current reach of school-based mental health services and to identify strategies to connect mental health clinical interventions (tier 2 and tier 3) interventions to school settings. The Commission should consider opportunities to align Medicaid-funded behavioral health services included in Project BRAVO and school-initiated services that will be newly eligible under the “free care rule” implementation. In addition, the Commission should provide relevant information related to the role of the Qualified Mental Health Professionals eligible to provide these services and opportunities to identify where they can be appropriately included and compensated to meet student mental health needs. Other initiatives included youth peer support specialists, recovery high schools and school-based health centers should be included as well. The Commission should make recommendations about strategies to implement and expand school-based mental health services by November 1, 2022."