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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3956 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 585
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Priscila S. Sousa
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act requiring a mental health wellness examination for all school children.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Priscila S. Sousa6th Middlesex1/20/2023James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex3/9/2023 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3956 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 585
By Representative Sousa of Framingham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 585) of
Priscila S. Sousa and James C. Arena-DeRosa relative to requiring a mental health wellness
examination for all school children. Education.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act requiring a mental health wellness examination for all school children.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1
2 MGL chapter 71 is hereby amended by adding a new section thereto as follows:
3 Section 57B
4 Section 57B. The committee, or the board of health in those municipalities where school
5health services are the responsibility of the board of health, shall cause every child in the public
6schools, and at the individual request of a parent or guardian of a pupil in a private school which
7has been approved under section one of chapter seventy-six, and which does not discriminate in
8its entrance requirements on the basis of race or color cause such pupil to be separately and
9carefully examined in such manner and at such intervals, including original entry, as may be
10determined by the department of public health after consultation with the department of
11education and the medical profession, to conduct a mental health wellness examination, as
12defined in section 32 of chapter 32A, and shall require a physical record of each child to be kept 2 of 3
13in such forms as prescribed by the provisions of section one hundred and eighty-five A of
14chapter one hundred and eleven.
15 Upon entering kindergarten or within 30 days of the start of the school year, the parent or
16guardian of each child shall present to school health personnel certification that the child within
17the previous 12 months has received a mental heath wellness examination by a licensed
18professional. Any child shall be exempt on religious grounds from these examinations upon
19written request of parent or guardian on condition that the laws and regulations relating to
20communicable diseases shall not be violated.
21 Every private school that does not perform these examinations shall be required to inform
22each parent and guardian of every enrolled pupil that the school does not conduct these
23examinations and shall recommend that the parent consult with the child's health care provider or
24local school committee or board of health to ensure that these examinations are conducted.
25 Any person who conducts an examination of a child in response to such child having
26concerns about said examination given in accordance with the provisions of this section shall
27forward a written report of the results of the examination to the school health personnel and a
28copy of said report to a parent or guardian of such child. Said report shall include, but not be
29limited to, the following:
30 (a) date of the report;
31 (b) name and address of the child;
32 (c) name of the child's school;
33 (d) type of examination; 3 of 3
34 (e) a summary of significant findings, including diagnoses, medication used, duration of
35action of medication, treatment, prognosis, whether or not a return visit is recommended and, if
36so, when;
37 (f) recommended educational adjustments for the child, if any;
38 (g) name, address and signature of the examiner.
39 SECTION 2
40 Section 2GGGGG of chapter 29 is hereby amended by adding at the end of the first
41paragraph before the period the following subclause: “; and (v) provide grants for mental health
42wellness examination in underserved school districts."