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| 2 | 2 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4527 FILED ON: 8/15/2023 |
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| 3 | 3 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4142 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Kay Khan |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act relative to mental health awareness in higher education. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Kay Khan11th Middlesex8/15/2023 1 of 3 |
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| 16 | 16 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4527 FILED ON: 8/15/2023 |
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| 17 | 17 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4142 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Representative Khan of Newton, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Kay Khan relative to |
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| 19 | 19 | | mental health awareness at public higher education institutions. Higher Education. |
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| 20 | 20 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 21 | 21 | | _______________ |
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| 22 | 22 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2023-2024) |
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| 24 | 24 | | _______________ |
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| 25 | 25 | | An Act relative to mental health awareness in higher education. |
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| 26 | 26 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 27 | 27 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 28 | 28 | | 1 SECTION 1. Chapter 15A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the |
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| 29 | 29 | | 2following section:- |
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| 30 | 30 | | 3 Section 48. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context |
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| 31 | 31 | | 4clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:- |
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| 32 | 32 | | 5 “Employees”, any person hired and paid by the institution, including professors, coaches, |
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| 33 | 33 | | 6club leaders, financial aid officers, admissions counselors, dining staff, and facilities |
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| 34 | 34 | | 7maintenance personnel. |
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| 35 | 35 | | 8 “Institution”, any public institution of higher education listed as part of the system of |
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| 36 | 36 | | 9public institutions of higher education in section 5. |
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| 37 | 37 | | 10 “Students”, part-time and full-time students as defined by their institution. 2 of 3 |
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| 38 | 38 | | 11 (b) Within 45 days of the first day of employment, an institution shall provide to newly- |
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| 39 | 39 | | 12hired employees: |
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| 40 | 40 | | 13 (i) mandatory mental health awareness programming and primary prevention for mental |
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| 41 | 41 | | 14health issues that shall include, but not be limited to: |
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| 42 | 42 | | 15 (A) an explanation of civil rights laws, their meaning, purpose, definition and |
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| 43 | 43 | | 16applicability to all forms of mental health leave of absences and discrimination; |
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| 44 | 44 | | 17 (B) warning signs of students experiencing mental health problems, students in distress, |
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| 45 | 45 | | 18and students experiencing signs of substance abuse; |
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| 46 | 46 | | 19 (C) cultural competency training and profiles on at-risk student groups; |
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| 47 | 47 | | 20 (D) information on the institution’s mental health resources available to each student, |
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| 48 | 48 | | 21including how to access them; |
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| 49 | 49 | | 22 (E) evidence-based suggestions for ways in which employees can assist students directly |
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| 50 | 50 | | 23and engage in risk reduction; |
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| 51 | 51 | | 24 (F) the name, contact information, and role of a crisis provider for students in immediate |
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| 52 | 52 | | 25harm/distress; and |
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| 53 | 53 | | 26 (ii) information on opportunities for ongoing mental health crisis prevention as well as |
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| 54 | 54 | | 27mental health promotion and awareness campaigns and programming. |
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| 55 | 55 | | 28 (c) Within 45 days of their matriculation, an institution shall provide to newly-enrolled |
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| 56 | 56 | | 29students: 3 of 3 |
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| 57 | 57 | | 30 (i) mandatory mental health awareness programming and primary prevention for mental |
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| 58 | 58 | | 31health issues for newly-enrolled students of the institution that shall include, but not be limited |
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| 59 | 59 | | 32to: |
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| 60 | 60 | | 33 (A) an explanation of civil rights laws, their meaning, purpose, definition and |
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| 61 | 61 | | 34applicability to all forms of mental health leave of absences and discrimination; |
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| 62 | 62 | | 35 (B) warning signs of experiencing mental health problems and substance abuse; |
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| 63 | 63 | | 36 (C) information on the institution’s mental health resources available to each student, |
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| 64 | 64 | | 37including how to access them; |
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| 65 | 65 | | 38 (D) evidence-based suggestions for ways in which students can protect and promote their |
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| 66 | 66 | | 39own mental health; |
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| 67 | 67 | | 40 (E) the name, contact information, and role of a crisis provider for students in immediate |
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| 68 | 68 | | 41harm/distress; and |
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| 69 | 69 | | 42 (ii) information on opportunities for ongoing mental health crisis prevention as well as |
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| 70 | 70 | | 43mental health promotion and awareness campaigns and programming. |
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| 71 | 71 | | 44 SECTION 2. The requirements of this act shall take effect on August 1, 2025 |
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