1 | 1 | | Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law. |
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2 | 2 | | *JMB485* 03/05/2025 12:52:06 PM JMB485 |
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3 | 3 | | State of Arkansas 1 |
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4 | 4 | | 95th General Assembly A Bill 2 |
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5 | 5 | | Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1709 3 |
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6 | 6 | | 4 |
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7 | 7 | | By: Representative Steele 5 |
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8 | 8 | | By: Senator J. Scott 6 |
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9 | 9 | | 7 |
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10 | 10 | | For An Act To Be Entitled 8 |
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11 | 11 | | AN ACT TO AMEND THE HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS IN THE 9 |
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12 | 12 | | SCHOOLS PROGRAM; TO INCLUDE MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS 10 |
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13 | 13 | | IN THE HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS IN THE SCHOOLS PROGRAM; 11 |
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14 | 14 | | AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 12 |
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17 | 17 | | Subtitle 15 |
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18 | 18 | | TO AMEND THE HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS IN 16 |
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19 | 19 | | THE SCHOOLS PROGRAM; AND TO INCLUDE 17 |
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20 | 20 | | MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS IN THE HUMAN 18 |
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21 | 21 | | SERVICES WORKERS IN THE SCHOOLS PROGRAM. 19 |
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22 | 22 | | 20 |
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23 | 23 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 21 |
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24 | 24 | | 22 |
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25 | 25 | | SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 20 -76-112 is amended to read as follows: 23 |
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26 | 26 | | 20-76-112. Human Services Workers and Mental Health Counselors in the 24 |
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27 | 27 | | Schools Program. 25 |
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28 | 28 | | (a)(1) The Human Services Workers and Mental Health Counselors in the 26 |
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29 | 29 | | Schools Program is established as a collaborative effort among the Division 27 |
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30 | 30 | | of Children and Family Services, the Arkansas Workforce Development Board, 28 |
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31 | 31 | | the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, and local school 29 |
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32 | 32 | | districts. 30 |
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33 | 33 | | (2) The Human Services Workers and Mental Health Counselors in 31 |
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34 | 34 | | the Schools Program is designed to help children and families by: 32 |
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35 | 35 | | (1)(A) Promoting safety of children and strengthening of 33 |
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36 | 36 | | families; 34 |
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37 | 37 | | (2)(B) Supporting the community's capacity to produce children 35 |
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38 | 38 | | who are healthy, children who are in supportive, nurturing, and healthy 36 HB1709 |
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41 | 41 | | families, and children who succeed in school; and 1 |
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42 | 42 | | (3)(C) Promoting the Division of Children and Family Services' 2 |
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43 | 43 | | family preservation philosophy and family -centered practice. 3 |
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44 | 44 | | (b) Upon approval of the board, the Division of Children and Family 4 |
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45 | 45 | | Services shall enter into contracts with local school districts to provide 5 |
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46 | 46 | | funding for the maximum number of human services workers and mental health 6 |
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47 | 47 | | counselors. 7 |
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48 | 48 | | (c)(1) A human services worker shall have a bachelor's degree or a 8 |
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49 | 49 | | master's degree in social work or a related field . 9 |
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50 | 50 | | (2) A mental health counselor shall have a bachelor's degree or 10 |
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51 | 51 | | a master's degree in the mental health or counseling field. 11 |
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52 | 52 | | (3) A human services worker or mental health counselor and shall 12 |
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53 | 53 | | provide the following services according to skills and training: 13 |
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54 | 54 | | (1)(A) Crisis intervention; 14 |
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55 | 55 | | (2)(B) School conferences and in -service training; 15 |
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56 | 56 | | (3)(C) Home visits; 16 |
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57 | 57 | | (4)(D) Transportation for family and student group counseling; 17 |
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58 | 58 | | (5)(E) Parent training and activities; 18 |
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59 | 59 | | (6)(F) Supportive service referrals; 19 |
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60 | 60 | | (7)(G) Individualized coping and conflict management skills; and 20 |
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61 | 61 | | (8)(H) Assessment of family and student needs. 21 |
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62 | 62 | | (d)(1) Funding for human services workers and mental health counselors 22 |
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63 | 63 | | shall be targeted to schools with eighty percent (80%) or more of their 23 |
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64 | 64 | | children eligible for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program under the National 24 |
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65 | 65 | | School Lunch Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1751 et seq. 25 |
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66 | 66 | | (2) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education and the 26 |
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67 | 67 | | Division of Children and Family Services shall develop criteria to prioritize 27 |
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68 | 68 | | eligibility for the Human Services Workers and Mental Health Counselors in 28 |
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69 | 69 | | the Schools Program. 29 |
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70 | 70 | | (e) The Coordinated Health Services Section of the Division of 30 |
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71 | 71 | | Elementary and Secondary Education shall evaluate the Human Services Workers 31 |
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72 | 72 | | and Mental Health Counselors in the Schools Program annually in coordination 32 |
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73 | 73 | | with the Division of Children and Family Services, the board, and the local 33 |
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74 | 74 | | school districts that hold contracts. 34 |
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75 | 75 | | (f) A parent or a student has the option to refuse any services 35 |
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76 | 76 | | recommended under the Human Services Workers and Mental Health Counselors in 36 HB1709 |
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77 | 77 | | |
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78 | 78 | | 3 03/05/2025 12:52:06 PM JMB485 |
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