Senate delays school mental-health program, orders inventory and implementation plan

The committee reviewed proposed language to establish adult mental-health literacy training and peer-to-peer support programs in schools. Agency representatives and advocates urged caution and recommended an inventory of existing programs before standing up a new statewide initiative.

Claire Neo, senior policy advisor at the Department of Mental Health, told the committee, "we would support an inventory before creating a new program," adding that the department could provide written guidance for peer-to-peer programs and recommended mental-health literacy training for adults running such programs.

Members and AOE representatives said multiple existing programs and funding streams may already provide similar services; they recommended that DMH, the Agency of Education, Behavioral Health and DCF coordinate an inventory and return recommendations on program design, equitable access, and funding sources by December 31, 2026 (with funding options included in fiscal-year-2028 budget presentations). The chair said the committee would strike the bill's section authorizing immediate program startup and instead adopt legislative intent language to guide a timely inventory and budget recommendations.

The committee's decision shifts the work toward coordinated planning and gave agencies direction to recommend how and when to implement a statewide program while avoiding duplicate or parallel efforts.