HB 339 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in terms and courses of study, providing for mental health check-ins.

PRINTER'S NO.   294

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 339
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY GREEN, GIRAL, HOWARD, SANCHEZ, HOHENSTEIN, PARKER,
        BELLMON AND FLEMING, JANUARY 27, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 27, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
 2      act relating to the public school system, including certain
 3      provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
 4      schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
 5      laws relating thereto," in terms and courses of study,
 6      providing for mental health check-ins.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.    The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10   as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
11   section to read:
12      Section 1529.    Mental Health Check-Ins.--(a)    Beginning with
13   the 2025-2026 school year and each school year thereafter, a
14   school entity shall adopt a policy for daily mental health
15   check-ins at the beginning of each school day for students in
16   kindergarten through grade twelve. The policy shall include a
17   procedure for identifying and responding to students who:
18      (1)   through their responses to the mental health check-ins,
19   may be experiencing stress, anxiety or depression; or
20      (2)   may be at risk of suicide or self-harm.
 1      (b)   The department shall develop a model mental health
 2   check-in policy and make the policy available to each school
 3   entity and, upon request, to a nonpublic school.
 4      (c)   As used in this section, the following words and phrases
 5   shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
 6   the context clearly indicates otherwise:
 7      "Department."   The Department of Education of the
 8   Commonwealth.
 9      "Mental health check-in."     An activity in which participants
10   are given the opportunity to convey, at a minimum, their
11   feelings in that moment.
12      "Nonpublic school."     A nonpublic kindergarten, elementary
13   school or secondary school at which a resident of this
14   Commonwealth may legally fulfill the compulsory school
15   attendance requirements of Article XIII and which meets the
16   requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Public
17   Law 88-352, 78 Stat. 241).
18      "School entity."   A school district, charter school, regional
19   charter school, cyber charter school, area career and technical
20   school or intermediate unit.
21      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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