This document addresses school-based counseling and referral

(a) A school distric shall consider the following best practices for truancy prevention measures:

• (9) At the beginning of each school year, conduct a needs assessment and identify and list, or map, services and programs available within the school district and the community that a school, a student, or a student's parent or guardian may access to address the student's barriers to attendance and make the information available to staff, students, and parents. The information must include, but is not limited to:

• (A) services for pregnant and parenting students;

• (B) services for students experiencing homelessness;

• (C) services for students in foster care;

• (D) federal programs including, but not limited to, Title 1, Part A, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act;

• (E) state programs including, but not limited to, State Compensatory Education programs;

• (F) dropout prevention programs and programs for "at risk" youth;

• (G) programs that occur outside of school time;

• (H) counseling services;

• (I) tutoring programs and services available at no or low cost;

• (J) mental health services;

• (K) alcohol and substance abuse prevention and treatment programs;

• (L) mentoring programs and services;

• (M) juvenile justice services and programs;

• (N) child welfare services and programs;

• (O) other state or locally funded programs for truancy prevention and intervention; and

• (P) other supportive services that are locally available for students and families through faith-based organizations, local governments, and community-based organizations.

The agency, in coordination with the Health and Human Services Commission, shall establish and maintain an Internet website to provide resources for school district or open-enrollment charter school employees regarding working with students with mental health conditions or who engage in substance abuse. The agency must include on the Internet website information about: (1) grief-informed and trauma-informed practices; (2) building skills related to managing emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and responsible decision-making; (3) positive behavior interventions and supports; and (4) a safe and supportive school climate.

(j) A team identifying a student using or possessing tobacco, drugs, or alcohol shall act in accordance with district policies and procedures related to substance use prevention and intervention.

The agency, in cooperation with the Health and Human Services Commission, shall develop guidelines for school districts regarding: (1) partnering with a local mental health authority and with community or other private mental health services providers and substance abuse services providers to increase student access to mental health services; and (2) obtaining mental health services through the medical assistance program under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code.

(a) The agency, in coordination with the Health and Human Services Commission and regional education service centers, shall provide and annually update a list of recommended best practice-based programs and research-based practices in the areas specified under Subsection (c) for implementation in public elementary, junior high, middle, and high schools within the general education setting. (b) Each school district may select from the list provided under Subsection (a) a program or programs appropriate for implementation in the district. (c) The list provided under Subsection (a) must include programs and practices in the following areas: (3) substance abuse prevention and intervention i) A school district shall develop practices and procedures concerning each area listed in Subsection (c), including mental health promotion and intervention, substance abuse prevention and intervention, and suicide prevention, that: (1) include a procedure for providing notice of a recommendation for early mental health or substance abuse intervention regarding a student to a parent or guardian of the student within a reasonable amount of time after the identification of early warning signs as described by Subsection (e)(2); (2) include a procedure for providing notice of a student identified as at risk of attempting suicide to a parent or guardian of the student within a reasonable amount of time after the identification of early warning signs as described by Subsection (e)(2); (3) establish that the district may develop a reporting mechanism and may designate at least one person to act as a liaison officer in the district for the purposes of identifying students in need of early mental health or substance abuse intervention or suicide prevention; (4) set out available counseling alternatives for a parent or guardian to consider when their child is identified as possibly being in need of early mental health or substance abuse intervention or suicide prevention; and (5) include procedures: (A) to support the return of a student to school following hospitalization or residential treatment for a mental health condition or substance abuse