| 1 | 1 | | By: Bernal H.B. No. 353 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | relating to the assignment of certain behavioral health |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | professionals to certain public schools. |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 33, Education Code, is |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | amended by adding Section 33.910 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 33.910. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL. (a) In this |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | section, "behavioral health professional" means: |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | (1) a licensed specialist in school psychology |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | licensed under Chapter 501, Occupations Code; |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | (2) a licensed professional counselor licensed under |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | Chapter 503, Occupations Code; |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | (3) a licensed clinical social worker licensed under |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | Chapter 505, Occupations Code; or |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | (4) a school counselor with an appropriate certificate |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | or permit issued under Subchapter B, Chapter 21. |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | (b) A school district shall assign at least one behavioral |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | health professional to each campus in the district in which 50 |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | percent or more of the students in average daily attendance at the |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | campus are educationally disadvantaged, homeless as defined by 42 |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | U.S.C. Section 11302, or in the conservatorship of the Department |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | of Family and Protective Services. |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (c) A school district may not require a behavioral health |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | professional assigned under this section to administer assessment |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | instruments or provide other assistance in connection with |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | assessment instruments. |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, is |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | amended by adding Section 42.2519 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | Sec. 42.2519. ADDITIONAL STATE AID FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | PROFESSIONALS. (a) For each school year, from funds that may be |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | used for the purpose, a school district is entitled to state aid in |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | an amount, as determined by the commissioner, sufficient to assist |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | the district in employing the number of behavioral health |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | professionals required by Section 33.910. |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | (b) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | administer this section. |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2018-2019 |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | school year. |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
|---|