Senate panel backs DMH inventory and report to explore school mental-health literacy and peer programs

Senate Health & Welfare reviewed draft 2.1 establishing legislative intent that the Department of Mental Health (DMH), in collaboration with the Agency of Education (AOE), explore funding and program options for a mental-health literacy training grant and a supervised peer-to-peer student program.

Staff explained section 1’s intent language and said section 2 would direct DMH and AOE to explore whether existing special funds might support program funding and to recommend options in DMH’s FY2028 budget presentation. The draft requires that an inventory of existing mental-health programming in schools be submitted to policy committees by Jan. 15, and the inventory should recommend how to integrate the proposed literacy and peer programs into current services.

Committee members asked that the training explicitly include after-school personnel and other non‑teacher school staff; Amy Scholberger urged the amendment to ensure staff who supervise students outside classroom hours are covered. Staff proposed that details about mentoring programs and peer activities be addressed in the required report and inventory, and members agreed that the inventory could document existing programs (including mentoring) without naming specific organizations in the statute.

The bill’s effective date for program start-up was discussed as July 1, 2028; members noted the draft directs DMH to submit both an inventory and recommendations for integrating the literacy and peer programs into existing services, rather than immediately creating a new, funded statewide program. The committee did not adopt additional funding language in session but left the requirement for DMH/AOE collaboration and reporting in the draft.