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