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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 762 FILED ON: 1/18/2023 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1273 |
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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 | | John C. Velis |
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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 the mental health of children in schools. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :John C. VelisHampden and HampshireMark C. MontignySecond Bristol and Plymouth2/7/2023James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol2/8/2023Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk2/8/2023Rebecca L. RauschNorfolk, Worcester and Middlesex2/14/2023Shirley B. Arriaga8th Hampden2/28/2023Patricia D. JehlenSecond Middlesex3/3/2023 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 762 FILED ON: 1/18/2023 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1273 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Mr. Velis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1273) of John C. Velis, Mark C. |
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| 19 | 19 | | Montigny, James K. Hawkins, Patrick M. O'Connor and other members of the General Court for |
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| 20 | 20 | | legislation relative to the mental health of children in schools. Mental Health, Substance Use |
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| 21 | 21 | | and Recovery. |
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| 22 | 22 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
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| 23 | 23 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 1318 OF 2021-2022.] |
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| 24 | 24 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
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| 26 | 26 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court |
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| 27 | 27 | | (2023-2024) |
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| 28 | 28 | | _______________ |
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| 29 | 29 | | An Act relative to the mental health of children in schools. |
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| 30 | 30 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 31 | 31 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 32 | 32 | | 1 Section 1 of chapter 76 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2hereby amended by inserting after the word “week” the following sentences:- |
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| 34 | 34 | | 3 Absences may also be permitted for mental health symptoms; provided further, that said |
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| 35 | 35 | | 4absences shall be excused in the same manner as physical health symptoms; and provided |
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| 36 | 36 | | 5further, that required documentation, from guardians or health professionals, shall be consistent |
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| 37 | 37 | | 6with physical health absences documentation. When documentation is required from a health |
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| 38 | 38 | | 7care professional, a school shall accept documentation from licensed mental health care |
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| 39 | 39 | | 8professionals in the same manner as documentation from other health care professionals. A |
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| 40 | 40 | | 9student with an absence due to mental or behavioral health shall be offered the opportunity to 2 of 2 |
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| 41 | 41 | | 10meet with a certified school counselor upon return to school but said student shall not be required |
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| 42 | 42 | | 11to do so. |
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