| 1 | 1 | | 1 of 1 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 443 FILED ON: 1/9/2025 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 716 |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | Joshua Tarsky |
|---|
| 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 relative to improving mental health in schools. |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Joshua Tarsky13th Norfolk1/9/2025 1 of 2 |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 443 FILED ON: 1/9/2025 |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 716 |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | By Representative Tarsky of Needham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 716) of |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | Joshua Tarsky for legislation to authorize schools to employ school adjustment counselors. |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | Education. |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | _______________ |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (2025-2026) |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | An Act relative to improving mental health in 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 SECTION 1. Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | 2section:- |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | 3 Section 102. (a) A school shall employ a minimum number, as determined by the |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | 4department pursuant to subsection (b), of school adjustment counselors, certified by the |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | 5commissioner pursuant to section 38G. |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | 6 (b) The department shall promulgate regulations, pursuant to chapter 30A, which shall |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | 7include criteria for the minimum number of school adjustment counselors that a school shall |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | 8employ, which shall include: (i) the number of students enrolled in the school; (ii) whether the |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | 9school has Title I status; and (iii) any mitigating circumstances as detailed by the school |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | 10committee. |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | 11 (c) For schools without sufficient funds to meet the requirements of subsection (a), the |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | 12department shall provide funding for the additional required school adjustment counselors. 2 of 2 |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | 13 SECTION 2. Not later than February 1, 2026, the department of elementary and |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | 14secondary education shall promulgate any regulations necessary to implement section 102 of |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | 15chapter 71 of the General Laws, inserted by section 1. |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | 16 SECTION 3. Section 1 shall take effect on August 1, 2026. |
|---|