EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0657*
HOUSE BILL 657
F1 2lr0974
By: Delegates Guyton, Forbes, Jackson, Krimm, J. Lewis, Luedtke, Rose, Ruth,
Saab, Shoemaker, Terrasa, and Valentino–Smith
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2022
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Schools – Standardized Behavioral Health Screenings for Students – 2
Development and Implementation 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Consortium on Coordinated Community 4
Supports to develop, in consultation with certain stakeholders, guidelines for 5
developing a standardized behavioral health screening to identify students with 6
behavioral health services needs; requiring each behavioral health services 7
coordinator to develop and implement a standardized behavioral health screening 8
based on the guidelines developed by the Consortium; and generally relating to the 9
development of a standardized behavioral health screening for public school 10
students. 11
BY renumbering 12
Article – Education 13
Section 7–447.1(i) through (o), respectively 14
to be Section 7–447.1(j) through (p), respectively 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 17
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 18
Article – Education 19
Section 7–447(b) and 7–447.1(a)(1) and (4) 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 22
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 23
Article – Education 24
Section 7–447(c) 25
Annotated Code of Maryland 26
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 27 2 HOUSE BILL 657
BY adding to 1
Article – Education 2
Section 7–447.1(i) 3
Annotated Code of Maryland 4
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 5
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY O F MARYLAND, 6
That Section(s) 7–447.1(i) through (o), respectively, of Article – Education of the Annotated 7
Code of Maryland be renumbered to be Section(s) 7–447.1(j) through (p), respectively. 8
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryland read 9
as follows: 10
Article – Education 11
7–447. 12
(b) Each local school system shall appoint a behavioral health services 13
coordinator. 14
(c) (1) In addition to the requirements under Subtitle 15 of this title, each 15
behavioral health services coordinator shall: 16
[(1)] (I) Coordinate existing behavioral health services and referral 17
procedures for behavioral health services within the local school system, including through 18
a coordinated community supports partnership; 19
[(2)] (II) Working in collaboration with the local health department, the 20
local department of social services, and other local entities that provide behavioral health 21
services, including a community supports partnership, ensure that a student who is 22
referred for behavioral health services obtains the necessary services in a timely manner; 23
[(3)] (III) Maximize external funding for behavioral health and 24
wraparound services; 25
[(4)] (IV) Have at a minimum a master’s degree and behavioral health 26
training experience in schools; 27
[(5)] (V) Provide the required behavioral health training under § 6–122 of 28
this article; and 29
[(6)] (VI) Develop and implement a standardized screening to identify 30
students with behavioral health services needs using an evidence–based measurement 31
approach BASED ON THE GUIDELI NES ESTABLISHED UNDER § 7–447.1 OF THIS 32
SUBTITLE. 33 HOUSE BILL 657 3
(2) THE STANDARDIZED SCRE ENING REQUIRED UNDER PARAGRAPH 1
(1)(VI) OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL BE GIVEN TO THE PARENT OR GUARDI AN OF 2
EACH STUDENT WHEN THE STUDENT ENROLLS FOR SCHOOL AND EVERY YEAR 3
THEREAFTER WHILE THE STUDENT IS ENROLLED IN THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM . 4
7–447.1. 5
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 6
(4) “Consortium” means the Maryland Consortium on Coordinated 7
Community Supports established under subsection (b) of this section. 8
(I) (1) THE CONSORTIUM SHALL DEVE LOP GUIDELINES FOR 9
DEVELOPING A STANDARDIZED SCREENI NG TO IDENTIFY STUDE NTS WITH 10
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SE RVICES NEEDS. 11
(2) THE GUIDELINES SHALL BE: 12
(I) DEVELOPED IN CONSULTATION W ITH THE FOLLOWING 13
STAKEHOLD ERS SELECTED BY THE CONSORTIUM: 14
1. ONE MEMBER OF THE MARYLAND OPTOMETRIC 15
ASSOCIATION; 16
2. ONE MEMBER OF THE STATE TRAUMATIC BRAIN 17
INJURY ADVISORY BOARD; 18
3. ONE MEMBER OF THE MARYLAND EDUCATION 19
COALITION; 20
4. ONE MEMBER OF THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF 21
SCHOOL HEALTH NURSES; 22
5. ONE MEMBER OF THE DIVISION OF EARLY 23
INTERVENTION AND SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES IN THE DEPARTMENT ; 24
6. ONE MEMBER OF THE MARYLAND ACADEMY OF 25
AUDIOLOGY; 26
7. ONE MEMBER OF THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF 27
NONPUBLIC SPECIAL EDUCATION FACILITIES; 28
4 HOUSE BILL 657
8. ONE EXPERT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD TRAUMA AND 1
DEVELOPMENT ; AND 2
9. ONE EXPERT ON DATA PROTE CTION; 3
(II) DEVELOPED USING AN EV IDENCE–BASED MEASUREMENT 4
APPROACH; AND 5
(III) UPDATED EVERY 5 YEARS. 6
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 7
1, 2022. 8