Plain English Breakdown
The official text confirms the program's existence and scope but does not detail funding amounts or implementation dates.
APEX Now Program: Mental Health Support for Schools
This bill creates the APEX Now Program to provide mental health services and crisis planning support for students and school staff facing violence, threats, natural disasters, or other emergencies.
What This Bill Does
- Establishes the 'APEX Now Program' within the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.
- Provides mental health service support for incidents involving violence, threats of violence, natural disasters, and other crisis situations.
- Requires the development and official release (promulgation) of a mental health crisis plan.
- Creates a 24-hour hotline available online and by phone.
- Sets rules requiring prospective parental consent before services are provided.
- Allows for contracting to provide these services.
Who It Names or Affects
- Students experiencing violence, threats of violence, natural disasters, or other crisis situations.
- School personnel facing similar emergency events.
- The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, which will run the program.
- Parents whose children may receive services under this plan.
Terms To Know
- APEX Now Program
- A new state-run system designed to offer mental health support during school emergencies and crisis situations.
- Mental Health Crisis Plan
- An official set of steps that must be developed and released for handling severe emotional or safety emergencies in schools.
Limits and Unknowns
- The bill text does not state the specific date this program will begin.
- It is unclear how much money has been allocated to fund these services and contracts.
- The exact details of what 'prospective parental consent' requires are not fully explained in the summary.