A. It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage and assist the public schools of this state to address school violence through an emphasis on prevention. Preventative services shall be encouraged through greater access to mental health counseling and social services for students. In order to make licensed professional counselors and licensed social workers more available and accessible on site, school districts may:

• 1. Contract with and allocate space for nonprofit agencies or other community-based service providers for the appropriate personnel and services;
• 2. Seek any available funding, including the use of Medicaid funds for students who are Medicaid eligible through targeted case management, and any other funding which may be available for related services; and
• 3. Encourage the State Board of Education to allow for the use of licensed professional counselors and licensed social workers in addition to academic counselors.

B. The Safe School Committee shall study and make recommendations to the principal regarding: 4. Methods to encourage the involvement of the community and students, the development of individual relationships between students and school staff, and use of problem-solving teams and resources that include counselors and other behavioral health and suicide prevention resources within or outside the school system.

A. The State Department of Education and the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, in consultation with school district superintendents and school district boards of education, shall develop and make available to school districts information, training and resources to help school employees recognize and address the mental health needs of students. B. The information made available to school districts shall include but not be limited to:

1. Information about the services provided by community-based organizations related to mental health, substance abuse and trauma;
2. Information about the impact trauma and adverse childhood experiences can have on a student’s ability to learn;
3. The availability of mental health evaluation and treatment available by telemedicine; and
4. Information about evidence-based strategies for prevention of at-risk behaviors.

Rubric recommends providing a full-time certified school counselor, licensed counselor, social worker, or psychologist for providing counseling services based on the following recommendations: • one counselor for every 250 students • one social workers for every 400 students • one psychologist for every 1000 students