Establishing a school mental health staff supplement, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions

This bill establishes a school mental health staff funding supplement and creates a school mental health staff supplement fund under the control of the department of management. For each fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2022, there is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the school mental health staff supplement fund an amount equal to the product of the statewide weighted enrollment for the budget year that corresponds to the fiscal year of the appropriation multiplied by percent of the regular program state cost per pupil for the base year. The moneys available in a fiscal year in the school mental health staff supplement fund shall be distributed by the department of management to each school district on a per pupil basis calculated using each school district’s weighted enrollment for that fiscal year. Amounts received under the bill shall be used only for costs to employ student mental health and behavioral staff and professionals including school counselors, school nurses, and school social workers. Funding provided under the bill is intended to supplement, not supplant, existing school district funding for student mental health and behavioral professionals and services. The bill takes effect upon enactment.