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| SPONSOR: | Carraro | DATE TYPED: | 02/09/00 | HB | |||
| SHORT TITLE: | Treat Mental Health Problems in Grades K-3 | SB | 337 | ||||
| ANALYST: | Fernandez | ||||||
| Recurring
or Non-Rec |
Fund
Affected | ||||
| FY00 | FY01 | FY00 | FY01 | ||
| $ 500.0 | Recurring | G/F | |||
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Relates to SB92, SJM10
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
State Department Of Public Education (SDE)
Department of Health (DOH)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
Senate Bill 337 appropriates to SDE for the following: $150.0 to purchase mental health early identification and violence prediction instruments; $250.0 to train kindergarten through third grade teachers, social workers and counselors how to identify mental health problems in students; and $100.0 to contract for community-based mental health services for students with mental health problems.
Significant Issues
Senate Memorial 3 passed during the 1999 Special Session, required SDE and DOH to formulate research-based recommendations regarding mental health screening, intervention, and professional development request to implement the screening and intervention.
According to DOH, the 1999 report on the State of Health in New Mexico reports that over 44,000 New Mexican children are estimated to have serious emotional disturbances. The department estimates that of this total, 5,400 children and adolescents were served through Medicaid or general fund programs in 1997. Accessing mental health services is often cited as a barrier.
SDE indicates that currently kindergarten screening does not include mental health screening and teachers do not receive pre-service training on mental health or violence prevention.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
This bill appropriates a total of $500.0 from the general fund to SDE for expenditure in fiscal year 2001. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2001 shall revert to the general fund.
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS
SDE will coordinate the activities required in this bill with current authorized staff.
DOH will continue to provide technical assistance and training to public schools and SDE.
CONFLICT/DUPLICATION/COMPANIONSHIP/RELATIONSHIP
Relates to SB92 and SJM10. SB92 appropriates funds to DOH for mental health services to school age children. SJM10 proposes to identify methods to integrate social services and juvenile justice support within the public schools.
TECHNICAL ISSUES
Page 1, line 25, strike though replace with through.
OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
According to SDE, providing early identification and intervention services to students in kindergarten through third grade will result in a reduction in spending in the juvenile justice, criminal justice and mental health systems. This bill would also allow appropriate differentiation between mental health services and special education services for students.
According to DOH, the U.S. Department of Education reports that violent incidents in public schools can be reduced by early mental health screening and early intervention.
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