Establishes task force to examine public school programs and services designed to address student mental health.

A4596

ASSEMBLY, No. 4596

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MARCH 10, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� CAROL A. MURPHY

District 7 (Burlington)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Scharfenberger

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes task force to examine public school
programs and services designed to address student mental health.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

establishing a Task Force on Student Mental
Health.

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

���� 1.��� a.�� There is
established the Task Force on Student Mental Health. The purpose of the task
force is to examine issues related to the mental health of public school
students, including depression, anxiety, stress, or other psychological or
emotional tension, trauma or disorder and to develop recommendations to ensure
that students have access to mental health care programs and services in order
to allow those students to meet their educational goals.

���� b.��� The task force shall
consist of 16 members as follows:

���� (1)�� the Commissioner of
Education, ex officio, or a designee, and the Director of the Division of
Mental Health and Addiction Services, or a designee;

���� (2)�� one public member
appointed by the President of the Senate and one public member appointed by the
Minority Leader of the Senate, both of whom shall have demonstrated expertise
in issues related to the work of the task force;

���� (3)�� one public member
appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and one public member
appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly, both of whom shall
have demonstrated expertise in issues relating to the work of the task force;
and

���� (4)�� 10 members appointed by
the Governor, including: a school board member, a school principal, a school
administrator, an elementary school teacher, a high school teacher, a school
counselor, a school social worker, and a school psychologist, all of whom are
currently employed in public schools in the State; and two parents of students
enrolled in a public school.

���� 2.��� Appointments to the task
force shall be made within 30 days after the effective date of this act.�
Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same
manner as the original appointments were made.� Members of the task force shall
serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenditures
incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the task force within
the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the task force
for its purposes.

���� 3.��� The task force shall
organize as soon as practicable, but not later than 30 days following the
appointment of its members.� The task force shall choose a chairperson from
among its members and shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the
task force.

���� 4.��� The Department of Education
shall provide such stenographical, clerical, and other administrative
assistants, and such professional staff as the task force requires to carry out
its work. The task force also shall be entitled to call to its assistance and
avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or
municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require
and as may be available for its purposes.�

���� 5.��� It shall be the duty of
the task force to examine issues related to the mental health of students
enrolled in public schools and to develop recommendations to ensure that students
have access to necessary mental health care programs and services. The task
force shall study and make recommendations regarding the following:

���� a.���� the identification of public
school students who experience depression, anxiety, stress, or other
psychological or emotional tension, trauma, or disorder;

���� b.��� the evaluation and
expansion of counseling programs and services available to students
experiencing mental health difficulties, and other programs designed to address
issues related to student mental health;

���� c.���� the relationship of
student mental health to school safety and security;

���� d.��� the amount of funding
that may be necessary for public schools to employ the appropriate staff and to
establish new programs or expand existing programs necessary to address student
mental health;

���� e.���� an examination of other
states which have implemented programs that have successfully addressed depression,
anxiety, stress, or other psychological or emotional tension, trauma, or
disorder among public school students and reduced the number of students
experiencing such difficulties; and

���� f.���� any other proposals
that the task force determines would provide for increased access to
high-quality mental health programs and services by public school students.

���� 6.��� a.�� The task force
shall issue a final report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor,
and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1),
no later than one year after the task force organizes.�

���� b.��� The task force shall
expire 30 days after the issuance of its final report.

���� 7.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill establishes the Task
Force on Student Mental Health. Under the bill, the task force will consist of
16 members including: the Commissioner of Education; the Director of the
Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services; one public member appointed
by the President of the Senate and one public member appointed by the Minority
Leader of the Senate; one public member appointed by the Speaker of the General
Assembly and one public member appointed by the Minority Leader of the General
Assembly; and 10 members appointed by the Governor, including: a school board
member, a school principal, a school administrator, an elementary school
teacher, a high school teacher, a school counselor, a school social worker, and
a school psychologist, all of whom are currently employed in public schools in
the State; and two parents of students enrolled in a public school.

���� The task force will study and
make recommendations regarding the following:

�

the identification of public school students who experience depression,
anxiety, stress, or other psychological or emotional tension, trauma, or
disorder;

�

the evaluation and expansion of counseling programs and services
available to students experiencing mental health difficulties, and other
programs designed to address issues related to student mental health;

�

the relationship of student mental health to school safety and
security;

�

the amount of funding that may be necessary for public schools to
employ the appropriate staff and to establish new programs or expand existing
programs necessary to address student mental health; and

�

an examination of other states which have implemented programs
that have successfully addressed depression, anxiety, stress, or other
psychological or emotional tension, trauma, or disorder among public school
students and reduced the number of students experiencing such difficulties.

���� The bill directs the task
force to issue a final report of its findings and recommendations to the
Governor and the Legislature no later than one year after its organizational
meeting.� The task force will expire 30 days after the submission of the final
report.�