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House Education Committee hears 15-year review of student mental‑health policy; auditors find state approach fragmented
Summary
OSPI presented a timeline of laws, funding and programs addressing student mental and behavioral health since 2003 and told the House Education Committee that investments have grown but remain fragmented. A 2021 state auditor performance audit found the system lacked sufficient resources and coordination to meet needs.
The House Education Committee convened a work session where officials from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) outlined about 15 years of legislative action and investments aimed at student mental and behavioral health in Washington state. OSPI senior policy analyst Misha Chernysky and Dixie Groenenfelder, OSPI’s executive director for student engagement and support, delivered the timeline and answered lawmakers’ questions.
OSPI framed the session as a high‑level review of statutes, budget provisos and programs the legislature and state agencies have enacted to address student behavioral and mental health. “The purpose of this is to really provide a high level overview of legislation, investments, and policy actions over the past 10 to 15 years,” Misha Chernysky said for the record.
The presentation traced actions dating back to district bullying‑policy requirements in the early 2000s and highlighted later…
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