(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Community school” means a public school that participates in a coordinated, community-based effort with community partners to provide comprehensive educational, developmental, family, health and wrap-around services to students, families and community members.

(2) “Community partner” means a provider of one or more of the following services to students, families or community members: (A) Primary medical or dental care, (B) mental health treatment and services, (C) academic enrichment activities, (D) programs designed to improve student attendance at school, (E) youth development programs, (F) early childhood education, (G) parental involvement programs, (H) child care services, (I) programs that provide assistance to students who are truant or who have been suspended or expelled, (J) youth and adult job training and career counseling services, (K) nutrition education, (L) adult education, (M) remedial education and enrichment activities, (N) legal services, or (O) any other appropriate services or programs.

(b) On and after July 1, 2013, a local or regional board of education may designate an existing school or establish a new school to be a community school. Such community school shall collaborate with community partners to provide services to students, families and community members.

(c) Following the designation or establishment of a community school, but prior to the opening of such community school, the board of education shall conduct (1) an operations and instructional audit, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (c) of section 10-223h, for an existing school that has been designated as a community school, (2) a community needs audit to identify the academic, physical, social, emotional, health, mental health and civic needs of students and their families that may impact student learning and academic achievement, and (3) a community resource assessment of potential resources, services and opportunities available within or near the community that students, families and community members may access and integrate into the community school.

(a) In each fiscal year for which funds are appropriated for purposes of the primary mental health program, the department shall establish a grant program for the purpose of providing funds to local and regional boards of education for the establishment of school-based programs for the detection and prevention of emotional, behavioral and learning problems in public school children primarily in grades kindergarten through grade three.

(b) The Commissioner of Education shall solicit grant applications from local and regional boards of education which shall be submitted annually to the commissioner at such time and on such forms as the commissioner prescribes. The commissioner shall issue not less than four grants by September fifteenth of each year. In determining if a board of education shall be granted funds pursuant to this section and sections 10-76v to 10-76x, inclusive, the commissioner shall consider, but such consideration shall not be limited to, the following factors: (1) Availability in the school and community of professional, paraprofessional, and other program staff with background and experience in early intervention; (2) availability of space to accommodate the program in an elementary school building; (3) demonstration of strong support by administrative personnel, teaching staff, pupil personnel staff and local community mental health centers; (4) reasonable evidence of future stability of the program and its personnel; and (5) the number of children enrolled in grades kindergarten to two, inclusive, in a school under the jurisdiction of such board of education experiencing behavioral, disciplinary or early school adjustment problems.

(a) Early detection and prevention programs funded under the provisions of sections 10-76u to 10-76x, inclusive, shall include (1) a component for systematic early detection and screening to identify children experiencing behavioral, disciplinary or early school adjustment problems, and (2) services that address such problems for children so identified.

(b) Mental health professionals shall: (1) Supervise the acceptance of children into the program; and (2) utilize school and community resources to serve children not accepted for direct service.

(c) Mental health professionals shall select, train and supervise paraprofessionals and community volunteers in program implementation.

(d) Parental consent shall be obtained before a child may be accepted into an early detection and prevention program.

(a) The department shall: (1) Coordinate school-based early detection and prevention programs funded under sections 10-76u to 10-76x, inclusive; and (2) in conjunction with the Department of Children and Families and local mental health agencies, provide training, consultation, and technical assistance to local and regional boards of education in early detection, intervention techniques, screening, staffing, program management and evaluation.

(b) The department may contract with consultants to aid in the conduct of training and the provision of consultation and technical assistance to early detection and prevention programs funded under the provisions of sections 10-76u to 10-76x, inclusive.

(c) The department shall identify specific goals and objectives for the program prior to the solicitation of applications for participation in such program and shall define in advance what specific measures it shall employ to measure the attainment of the goals and objectives. Utilizing these measures, the department shall evaluate the effectiveness of the programs funded under sections 10-76u to 10-76x, inclusive. The Commissioner of Education shall report to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education not later than January 1, 1986, on the evaluation of said programs.