Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H494 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2892 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 494
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Ryan M. Hamilton
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act providing for mental health professionals in public schools.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Ryan M. Hamilton15th Essex1/19/2023 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2892 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 494
18	18	By Representative Hamilton of Methuen, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 494) of
19	19	Ryan M. Hamilton relative to providing for mental health professionals in public schools.
20	20	Education.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
24	24	(2023-2024)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act providing for mental health professionals in public schools.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 53A the
30	30	2following section:-
31	31	3 Section 53A½. (a) Each school district shall appoint 1 or more full time school
32	32	4psychologists and 1 or more full time school social workers to provide mental health services to
33	33	5all students attending a public school, grades K-12, in the district.
34	34	6 (b) Mental health services provided by a full time school psychologist in K-12 public
35	35	7schools shall include, but not limited to:
36	36	8 (i) evaluations, screenings and assessments designed to determine the mental health and
37	37	9the well-being status of a student;
38	38	10 (ii) to inform parents or other persons in parental relation to the student, pupils and
39	39	11teachers of the individual student's mental health condition; 2 of 3
40	40	12 (iii) to address identified mental health needs of a student;
41	41	13 (iv) to instruct the school personnel in interventions, techniques and behavioral
42	42	14approaches to respond to the mental health needs of a student;
43	43	15 (v) to provide such interventions, approaches and services as necessary to address the
44	44	16mental health needs of a student; and
45	45	17 (vi) to make necessary recommendations concerning the mental health aspects of the
46	46	18school environment and the provision of mental health information.
47	47	19 (c) Mental health services provided by a full time school social worker in K-12 public
48	48	20schools shall include, but not limited to:
49	49	21 (i) assessments, evaluations and psychosocial intervention plans designed to prevent and
50	50	22intervene to address mental, social, emotional, behavioral, developmental and addictive
51	51	23disorders, conditions and disabilities of the psychosocial aspect of illness and injuries
52	52	24experienced by a student;
53	53	25 (ii) diagnosis of mental, emotional, behavioral and developmental disorders and
54	54	26disabilities and the psychosocial aspects of illness, injury, disability and impairment undertaken
55	55	27within a psychosocial framework;
56	56	28 (iii) administration and interpretation of tests and measures of psychosocial functioning;
57	57	29 (iv) development and implementation of appropriate assessment based treatment plans; 3 of 3
58	58	30 (v) the provision of crisis and lethality assessments and short term and long term
59	59	31psychotherapy and psychotherapeutic treatment to students for the purpose of preventing,
60	60	32assessing, treating, ameliorating and resolving psychosocial dysfunction with the goal of
61	61	33 maintaining and enhancing the mental, emotional, behavioral and social functioning and
62	62	34well-being of a student;
63	63	35 (vi) to work as a liaison between parent, child, school and community;
64	64	36 (vii) to instruct school personnel regarding interventions, technique and behavioral
65	65	37approaches;
66	66	38 (viii) to respond to the mental health needs of a student; and
67	67	39 (ix) to make necessary recommendations concerning the mental health aspects of the
68	68	40school environment and the provision of mental health information.
69	69	41 (d) The department of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate rules or
70	70	42regulations necessary to carry out this section.