No individual, group, or blanket insurance policy or contract issued or delivered in the State by an insurer, a nonprofit health service plan, or a health maintenance organization may deny a covered medically necessary behavioral health care service provided by a participating provider to a member who is a student solely on the basis that the service is provided at a public school or through a school-based health center under § 7-440 of the Education Article.

(a) Duties -- Development of policy recommendations. -- The Council shall develop policy recommendations to improve the health and educational outcomes of students who receive services from school-based health centers by:

• (1) Supporting local community efforts to establish or expand school-based health center capacity in primary care, behavioral health, and oral health;
• (2) Integrating school-based health centers into existing and emerging patient-centered models of care;
• (3) Promoting the inclusion of school-based health centers in networks of managed care organizations and commercial health insurance carriers;
• (4) Advancing the public health goals of State and local health officials;
• (5) Promoting the inclusion of school-based health centers into networks of school health services and coordinated student service models for the range of services offered in school settings;
• (6) Supporting State and local initiatives to promote student success;
• (7) Reviewing and revising best practice guidelines; and
• (8) Supporting the long-term sustainability of school-based health centers.

(b) Duties -- Review of data. -- The Council shall review the collection and analysis of school-based health center data collected by the State Department of Education to:

• (1) Make recommendations on best practices for the collection and analysis of the data; and
• (2) Provide guidance on the development of findings and recommendations based on the data.

(c) Other activities. -- The Council shall conduct other activities the Council considers appropriate to meet the purpose of the Council.

(d) Reports. -- On or before December 31 of each year, the Council shall report the findings and recommendations of the Council to the Maryland Department of Health, the State Department of Education, the Commission, and, in accordance with § 2-1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly on improving the health and educational outcomes of students who receive services from school-based health centers.

(a) In general. -- On or before September 1, 2018, each local school system shall appoint a mental health services coordinator.

(b) Duties. -- Each mental health services coordinator shall:

• (1) Coordinate existing mental health services and referral procedures for mental health services within the local school system;
• (2) Working in collaboration with the local health department, the local department of social services, and other local entities that provide mental health services, ensure that a student who is referred for mental health services obtains the necessary services;
• (3) Maximize external funding for mental health and wraparound services; and
• (4) Develop plans for delivering behavioral health and wraparound services to students who exhibit behaviors of concern.

(c) Grants. --

• (1) The Subcabinet may provide grants from the Fund to local school systems to develop plans for delivering behavioral health and wraparound services to students who exhibit behaviors of concern.
• (2) In applying for a grant under this subsection, a local school system shall provide evidence of how external funding will be maximized to provide students with behavioral health and wraparound services, including through the submission of claims to health insurance plans, if applicable, for any covered health services.

(d) Regulations. -- The Subcabinet shall adopt regulations to carry out this section.

(a) Definitions. --

• (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
• (2) "Behavioral health services" means prevention, intervention, and treatment services for the social-emotional, psychological, behavioral, and physical health of students, including mental health and substance abuse disorders.
• (3)
• (i) "Community-partnered school behavioral health services program" means a program that provides behavioral health services to students by community behavioral health providers in partnership with public schools and families that augment the behavioral health services and supports provided by public schools.
• (ii) "Community-partnered school behavioral health services program" does not include school-based health centers.

(b) Standardized reporting system. --

• (1) The Department, in consultation with the Maryland Department of Health, county boards, and other interested stakeholders, as determined by the Department, shall develop and implement a standardized reporting system to determine the effectiveness of community-partnered school behavioral health services programs.
• (2) The standardized reporting system developed under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall use measures that collect data on the outcomes of students who receive behavioral health services from community-partnered school behavioral health services programs, including a student's academic, behavioral, social, and emotional functioning and progress.

(c) Report to Governor and General Assembly. -- On or before December 1, 2017, and every 2 years thereafter, the Department shall submit a report to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2-1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly that provides an analysis of the effectiveness of community-partnered school behavioral health services programs.

(a)  Definitions. --

• (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
• (2) "Behavioral health counseling services" means prevention, intervention, and treatment services for the social-emotional, psychological, behavioral, and physical health of students, including mental health and substance abuse disorders.
• (3) "Health care provider" has the meaning stated in § 20-104 of the Health - General Article.

(b)  In general. --

• (1) The Maryland Department of Health, in conjunction with the Department, shall recommend best practices for county boards of education to provide to students:
• (i) Behavioral needs assessments; and
• (ii) Individualized or group behavioral health counseling services with a health care provider through a school-based health center or through community partnered school-based behavioral health services.

(c)  Construction of section. -- This section may not be construed to require a county board to provide behavioral needs assessments or individualized or group behavioral health counseling services to students.