Directs DOE to develop guidelines for school districts concerning student mental health services.

A4264

ASSEMBLY, No. 4264

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� SHANIQUE SPEIGHT

District 29 (Essex and Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Directs DOE to develop guidelines for school
districts concerning student mental health services.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning student mental health services and
supplementing chapter 40 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� a.� The Department of
Education, in partnership with the Department of Human Services and the
Department of Children and Families, shall develop and distribute to school
districts guidelines for providing mental health services to students.� The
purpose of the guidelines shall be to assist school districts in enhancing and
improving mental health services for students and shall reflect the findings of
the �New Jersey Comprehensive School-Based Mental Health Resource Guide�
published by the Department of Education in February 2022.� The department
shall review and update the guidelines as needed.� In developing and updating
the guidelines, the department shall seek the input and recommendations of
school district administrators, educators, mental health professionals, and
other appropriate stakeholders.

���� b.� The guidelines, developed
pursuant to this section shall include information as needed to support the
development and implementation of comprehensive school-based mental health
systems, which may include recommendations on:

���� (1) �implementing a
quality-based multi-tiered student mental health system of care that prevents
mental health concerns and mitigates trauma;

���� (2) �establishing sustainable
school partnerships with community mental health service providers;

���� (3) �providing mental health
services to English language learners;

���� (4) �providing culturally
sensitive mental health services;

���� (5) �incorporating new
technology and innovations into existing mental health services, including, but
not limited to, providing mental health services to students through virtual or
remote means;

���� (6) �evaluating the
effectiveness of available student mental health services;

���� (7) �identifying and
maximizing the use of available State, federal, nonprofit, and private funding
to support a multi-tiered student mental health system of care; and

���� (8) �the ratios of student
mental health providers to students.

���� c.� The Department of
Education shall post the guidelines developed pursuant to this section on its
Internet website.� The department shall also include on its Internet website
links to professional development resources related to student mental health for
school administrators, educators, and staff.

���� d.� The Department of
Education

shall
provide on its Internet website information about the Division of Children�s
System of Care in the Department of Children and Families. This information
shall include a link to the division�s website, as well as the contact
information for the division�s access line.

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full school year
following the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

���� This bill directs the
Department of Education, in partnership with the Department of Human Services
and the Department of Children and Families, to develop and distribute to
school districts guidelines for providing mental health services to students.�
The purpose of the guidelines is to assist school districts in enhancing and
improving mental health services for students.� Under the bill, the guidelines
are to be reviewed and updated annually by the Department of Education.� In
developing and updating the guidelines, the department is required to seek the
input and recommendations of school district administrators, educators, mental
health professionals, and other appropriate stakeholders.

���� The guidelines established
under the bill, at minimum, are to include recommendations on:

���� (1) �implementing a
quality-based multi-tiered student mental health system of care that prevents
mental health concerns and mitigates trauma;

���� (2) �establishing sustainable
school partnerships with community mental health service providers;

���� (3) �providing mental health
services to English language learners;

���� (4) �providing culturally
sensitive mental health services;

���� (5) �incorporating new
technology and innovations into existing mental health services including, but
not limited to, providing mental health services to students through virtual or
remote means;

���� (6) �evaluating the
effectiveness of available student mental health services;

���� (7) �identifying and
maximizing the use of available State, federal, nonprofit, and private funding
to support a multi-tiered student mental health system of care; and

���� (8) �the ratios of student
mental health providers to students.

���� Under the bill, the Department
of Education is to post the guidelines on its Internet website.� The bill also
requires the Department of Education, in partnership with the Department of
Human Services and the Department of Children and Families, to create and
maintain a database consisting of available mental health resource providers
throughout the State.� The database is to be available to school districts, as
well as students and their families.