An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in student supports, further providing for definitions and for student supports and providing for the Pennsylvania Mental Health First Aid Training Program; and, in school safety and security, further providing for the School Safety and Security Grant Program.

PRINTER'S NO. 1237
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1039
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY KIM, MALONE, COSTA, FONTANA, SANTARSIERO, HAYWOOD,
KANE, HUGHES, COLLETT, PENNYCUICK AND SAVAL, OCTOBER 15, 2025
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, OCTOBER 15, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," in student supports, further
providing for definitions and for student supports and
providing for the Pennsylvania Mental Health First Aid
Training Program; and, in school safety and security, further
providing for the School Safety and Security Grant Program.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1301-A of the act of March 10, 1949
(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is
amended by adding definitions to read:
Section 1301-A. Definitions.--As used in this article,
* * *
"Department" shall mean the Department of Education of the
Commonwealth.
"Nonpublic school" shall mean any school, other than a public
school within this Commonwealth, wherein a resident of this
Commonwealth may legally fulfill the compulsory school
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attendance requirements of this act and which meets the
requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Public
Law 88-352, 78 Stat. 241).
* * *
"School-wide staff" shall mean any individual within the
control of, or acting on behalf of, the district, including:
(1) district employes;
(2) after-school providers;
(3) contractors;
(4) consultants;
(5) volunteers;
(6) vendors;
(7) school security personnel;
(8) school resource officers as defined in section 1301-C;
and
(9) service providers.
* * *
Section 2. Section 1302-A(b)(3) of the act is amended and
subsection (b)(1) is amended by adding a subparagraph to read:
Section 1302-A. Student Supports.--* * *
(b) The Department of Education shall have the power and
duty to implement the following:
(1) To collect, develop and disseminate information,
policies, strategies and other information to assist in the
development of programs that support students, reduce
unnecessary student disciplinary actions and promote an
environment of greater productivity, safety and learning,
including, but not limited to:
* * *
(viii.1) School-wide staff training programs conducted by a
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certified trainer to recognize and respond appropriately to
indicators of mental distress and suicidal ideation in students.
The training program shall be offered to school entities and
nonpublic schools no less than two times throughout a school
year. No fee may be assessed for participation in the training
program implemented under this subparagraph.
* * *
(3) To assist in collaboration and coordination with the
School Safety and Security Committee established under section
1302-B and school entities and nonpublic schools on the
development of policies to be used regarding:
(i) possession of weapons by any person, acts of violence
and protocols for coordination with and reporting to law
enforcement officials and the Department of Education[.]; and
(ii) training programs implemented under paragraph (1)
(viii.1) for school-wide staff. The policies developed under
this subparagraph shall include, at a minimum, the policy
requirements for the Pennsylvania Mental Health First Aid
Training Program established under section 1303.2-A(a). A school
entity or nonpublic school shall not be required to provide a
training program or to adopt related policies if the school
entity or nonpublic school does not provide school-wide staff
training.
* * *
Section 3. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
Section 1303.2-A. Pennsylvania Mental Health First Aid
Training Program.-- (a) The Pennsylvania Mental Health First Aid
Training Program is established for the purpose of providing
student supports and guidance to school entities and nonpublic
schools in identifying student mental health struggles and
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deterioration in accordance with this section.
(b) (1) A school entity or nonpublic school is not required
to offer student supports that include staff participation in a
school-wide staff training program. For a school entity or
nonpublic school that offers student supports that include staff
participation in a school-wide staff training program that was
implemented:
(i) by the department under section 1302-A(b)(1)(viii.1),
the school entity or nonpublic school shall adopt or amend
existing policy in accordance with section 1302-A(b)(3)(ii); or
(ii) by the school entity or the nonpublic school under this
section, the school entity or nonpublic school shall adopt or
amend existing policy in accordance with this section.
(2) No later than January 1, 2026, the department shall
develop a model policy pursuant to section 1302-A(b)(3)(ii) on
which a school entity or nonpublic school may model an existing
policy relating to a training program to be conducted by a
certified trainer for school-wide staff. The policy must
include:
(i) Training to r ecognize indicators of student mental
distress.
(ii) Training to r ecognize mental health decline and mental
struggle in students.
(iii) Training to l earn appropriate responses and
intervention techniques to use when a student displays an
indicator of mental distress, mental health decline or mental
health struggles.
(iv) Provid ing up-to-date contact information for student
self-care programs or mental health programs.
(v) A ny other school-wide staff skill development or
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information that the school entity or nonpublic school deems
necessary to address student suicide awareness and educator and
staff preparedness.
(3) The policy amended or adopted under paragraph (1) shall
identify:
(i) The school-wide staff eligible for training under the
program.
(ii) T he appropriate school staff person to receive reports
of incidents of student mental health concerns. An incident
report shall include the student mental health concern of the
staff person making the report and the course of action advised
to the student.
(iii) A process for submission of documented certification
of each school-wide staff completing the training to the
appropriate school staff person and a retention process that
includes requirements for removal of expired certification and
any renewal of certification requirements.
(iv) A process to notify school-wide staff of the
availability of training conducted by a certified trainer.
Training shall be provided by the school entity or nonpublic
school at least two times each school year.
(4) Each school entity and nonpublic school shall review the
policy amended or adopted under paragraph (1) every three (3)
years and annually provide the department with a copy of the
policy relating to student mental health, which shall also
include:
(i) Information related to the development and
implementation of any student mental health distress prevention,
intervention and education program.
(ii) Data of incidents, with identifying information
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redacted, of mental health concerns reported to the designated
school staff person under the school entity or nonpublic
school's policy.
(c) Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, and each
school year thereafter, each school entity that offers a
training program conducted by a certified trainer for school-
wide staff to recognize and respond appropriately to indicators
of mental distress and suicidal ideation in students may include
the training in the continuing education plan submitted by the
school entity to the department for approval pursuant to section
1205.1 for no more than four (4) hours of training, every five
(5) years.
(d) Each school entity and nonpublic school shall make the
policy adopted or amended under this section available on the
publicly accessible Internet website of the school entity or
nonpublic school, if available, and in every classroom. Each
school entity shall post the policy at a prominent location
within each school building where notices are usually posted.
Each school entity shall ensure that the policy and procedures
for reporting bullying incidents are reviewed with students
within ninety (90) days after adoption and at least once each
school year thereafter.
Section 4. Section 1306-B(j) of the act is amended by adding
a paragraph to read:
Section 1306-B. School Safety and Security Grant Program.
* * *
(j) Specific purposes.--The committee shall provide grants
to school entities for programs that address school mental
health and safety and security, including:
* * *
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(17.1) Staff training programs conducted by a certified
trainer to recognize and respond appropriately to indicators
of mental distress and suicidal ideation in students,
including costs associated with participation in a training
program implemented by the d epartment under section 1302-A(b)
(1)(viii.1) for school-wide staff training or incurred by a
school entity or nonpublic school that implements a policy
under section 1303.2-A.
* * *
Section 5. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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