Requires school psychologists and school counselors to complete mental health first aid training.

S3301

SENATE, No. 3301

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 2, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� KRISTIN M. CORRADO

District 40 (Bergen, Essex and Passaic)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires school psychologists and school counselors
to complete mental health first aid training.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning mental health first aid training for certain
school personnel and supplementing chapter 6 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.�� (1) A school
psychologist shall complete the mental health first aid training course
established or approved by the Department of Education, pursuant to section 2
of this act, during the person�s first year of employment as a school
psychologist. �If a person is employed as a school psychologist on the
effective date of this act, then the person shall complete the mental health
first aid training course during the first year following the effective date.

���� (2)�� The State Board of
Education shall, as part of the professional development requirements
established for school psychologists, require each school psychologist to
complete the mental health first aid training course not less than once every
three years.�

���� b.��� (1)� A school counselor
shall complete the mental health first aid training course established or
approved by the Department of Education, pursuant to section 2 of this act,
during the person�s first year of employment as a school counselor.� If a
person is employed as a school counselor on the effective date of this act,
then the person shall complete the mental health first aid training course
during the first year following the effective date.

���� (2)�� The State Board of
Education shall, as part of the professional development requirements
established for school counselors, require each school counselor to complete
the mental health first aid training course not less than once every three
years.�

���� 2.��� a.� The Department of
Education, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, shall
establish or approve, as necessary, a mental health first aid training course
to instruct school personnel on how to recognize and address the signs of
mental illness in children and adolescents.� The training course shall consist
of no less than eight hours and include information on topics including, but
not limited to:

���� (1)�� the methods of identifying,
understanding, and responding to signs of mental health illnesses and substance
use disorders;

���� (2)�� the risk factors and
warning signs for mental health illnesses and substance use disorders;

���� (3)�� the interventions and
strategies that may be used to assist an individual in both crisis and
non-crisis situations; and

���� (4)�� an overview of mental
health illnesses that may present in children and adolescents, including
depression and mood disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma, psychosis, and
substance use disorders.�

���� b.��� The Department of
Education, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, shall review
and update, as necessary, the mental health first aid training course
established or approved pursuant to this section, not less than once every
three years, to ensure that the contents of the course reflect the current
understanding of mental health issues, and continue to comply with the
requirements of subsection a. of this section.

���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the sixth month next following the date of
enactment.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires school
psychologists and school counselors to complete a mental health first aid
training course established or approved by the Department of Education.

���� Under the bill, every school
psychologist and school counselor would be required to complete a mental health
first aid training course established or approved by the Department of
Education during the person�s first year of employment.� If a person is
employed as a school psychologist or school counselor on the effective date of
the bill, then the person would be required to complete the mental health first
aid training course during the first year following the bill�s effective date.�
The bill also requires every school psychologist and school counselor to
complete the mental health first aid training course at least once every three
years as a part of the professional development requirements established by the
State Board of Education.

���� Additionally, the bill
requires the Department of Education, in consultation with the Department of
Human Services, to establish or approve, as necessary, a mental health first
aid training course to instruct school personnel on how to recognize and address
the signs of mental illness in children and adolescents.� This training course
would be required to consist of no less than eight hours and, at a minimum,
include information on the following topics:

���� (1)�� the methods of
identifying, understanding, and responding to signs of mental health illnesses
and substance use disorders;

���� (2)�� the risk factors and
warning signs for mental health illnesses and substance use disorders;

���� (3)�� the interventions and
strategies that may be used to assist an individual in both crisis and
non-crisis situations; and

���� (4)�� an overview of mental
health illnesses that may present in children and adolescents, including
depression and mood disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma, psychosis, and
substance use disorders

���� The bill also requires the
training course to be reviewed and updated, as necessary, not less than once
every three years, to ensure that the contents of the course reflect the
current understanding of mental health issues, and continues to comply with the
requirements of the bill.��