H 817

 BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.817
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1H.817
2 Introduced by Representatives Berbeco of Winooski, Bos-Lun of Westminster,
3Holcombe of Norwich, and McFaun of Barre Town
4 Referred to Committee on
5 Date:
6 Subject: Health; mental health; education; peer supports; literacy
7 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes a mental health
8 and substance use disorder literacy curriculum for schools. This bill further
9 proposes to establish a pilot peer-to-peer mental health support program in
10 schools.
11    An act relating to mental health support and substance use disorder
12    prevention in schools
    An act relating to mental health literacy and peer-to-peer supports in
    schools
13 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
            * * * Mental Health and Substance Misuse Literacy * * *
14 Sec. 1. 16 V.S.A. § 914 is added to read:
15 § 914. MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE MISUSE LITERACY
16    (a) Each supervisory union or school district shall select a curriculum to
17 increase awareness about mental health and substance misuse challenges
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1 facing youth throughout the State. Each selected curriculum shall include
2 information on:
3(1) the connection and importance of mental health to an individual’s
4 physical health and overall well-being;
5(2) resources and tools for maintaining mental wellness, including
6 evidence-based practices used to overcome mental health and substance misuse
7 challenges;
8(3) signs and symptoms of common mental health and substance misuse
9 challenges and strategies for responding to those signs and symptoms;
10(4) the prevalence of mental health and substance misuse challenges
11 across all populations;
12(5) common mental health and substance misuse conditions and
13 evidence-based treatments for common conditions; and
14(6) how to seek assistance or support for a mental health or substance
15 misuse challenge in school and the community at large.
16    (b) The Department of Mental Health shall post guidance for identifying
17 evidence-informed curricula and best practices that supervisory unions and
18 school districts may use in selecting a curriculum pursuant to this section.
19    (c) Each supervisory union or school district shall make its selected
20 curriculum available to parents and guardians and shall share the curriculum
21 with any organizations serving youth in the community.
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1* * * Peer-to-Peer Mental Health Support in Schools * * *
2 Sec. 2. PEER-TO-PEER MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT PROGRAM
3    (a) It is the intent of the General Assembly to:
4(1) define best practices and develop statewide standards for youth peer-
5 to-peer support programs; and
6(2) strengthen protective factors among Vermont youth and prevent
7 future mental health challenges and substance misuse.
8    (b) The Department of Mental Health shall establish a four-year pilot
9 program for the distribution of grants that fund peer-to-peer mental health
10 support programs in public and approved independent schools. Peer-to-peer
11 mental health support programs shall enable students to provide and receive
12 peer support and coaching from other students in relation to mental health
13 challenges. Each program shall have the oversight of a certified peer support
14 provider and guidance from a school-based mental health service provider.
15    (c) The Department shall:
16(1) execute a subcontract for youth outreach;
17(2) host at least two listening sessions to engage children and youth;
18(3) convene an advisory board to inform the design of the peer-to-peer
19 pilot program established by this section;
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1(4) develop a request for proposals on or before January 1, 2027, to
2 identify secondary schools in Vermont for participation in the peer-to-peer
3 pilot program established by this section; and
4(5) accept grant applications for the peer-to-peer program established by
5 this section on a rolling basis beginning on February 1, 2027.
6    (d) In awarding grants pursuant to this section, the Department shall give
7 priority to applications submitted by a public or an approved independent
8 school that:
9(1) propose using the grant for a peer-to-peer mental health program
10 with a suicide prevention component; or
11(2) are located in an area of the State that has had high rates of suicide
12 or has experienced a recent traumatic event.
13    (e) School employees assisting with a peer-to-peer mental health support
14 program that is awarded a grant pursuant to this section shall receive training
15 in the following:
16(1) empathetic listening;
17(2) enhancing protective mental health factors;
18(3) recognizing and appropriately responding to risk factors and
19 warning signs associated with mental health and substance misuse challenges,
20 including co-occurring challenges;
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1      (4) connecting students with professional mental health services and
2 recovery supports, as necessary; and
3      (5) any other areas included in the National Model Standards for Peer
4 Support Certification of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
5 Administration.
6   (f) On or before January 1, 2030, the Department of Mental Health, in
7 collaboration with the Agency of Education, shall submit a report to the House
8 Committee on Health Care and to the Senate Committee on Health and
9 Welfare evaluating the efficacy of the program, including:
10      (1) student participation in the program;
11      (2) the efficacy of the training provided to participating certified peer
12 support specialists and school employees assisting with the program;
13      (3) the percentage of students participating in the program who reported
14 improved mental health outcomes; and
15      (4) the number of participating students connected with professional
16 mental health services due to program participation.
17* * * Effective Date * * *
18 Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE
19   This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
 Sec. 1. 18 V.S.A. § 7209 is added to read:
 § 7209. MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY AND PEER SUPPORT
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     INITIATIVES
   (a) Purpose. This section aims to strengthen protective factors among
Vermont’s youth, increase mental health literacy within school communities,
and expand access to developmentally appropriate peer-to-peer initiatives that
promote early identification of mental health challenges.
   (b) Mental health literacy training.
  (1) To the extent funds are available, a public school may apply to the
Department of Mental Health or designee for a grant to provide mental health
literacy training to educators and other school personnel.     Mental health
literacy training shall include topics related to working with youth in an
educational setting, such as:
     (A) information about mental health conditions and symptoms;
     (B) understanding common youth mental health and substance use
challenges;
     (C) reducing stigma and promoting supportive school environments;
     (D) strengthening protective factors and help-seeking behaviors;
     (E) recognizing risk factors and warning signs;
     (F)    responding to students with empathy and appropriate
boundaries;
     (G) information about mental health treatments; and
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           (H) accessing mental health resources or services throughout the
State.
     (2) This section shall not be construed to require the adoption of a
specific curriculum or instructional content.
   (c) Peer-to-peer mental health support.
     (1) A school, afterschool program, or youth mentoring agency may
establish a peer-to-peer mental health program that:
           (A) provides structured opportunities for student peer connection in a
supervised school or afterschool setting;
           (B) is overseen by an adult, who is not required to be a licensed,
certified, or rostered mental health professional under title 26; and
           (C) emphasizes school and community-based resources and how to
access professional services when additional support is needed.
     (2)     The Department of Mental Health shall provide oversight and
guidance to any school, afterschool program, or youth mentoring agency
seeking to establish or maintain a peer-to-peer mental health program
pursuant to this subsection, including qualifications of the adult overseeing the
peer-to-peer mental health support program.
     (3) A peer-to-peer program established pursuant to this subsection shall
be supportive and nonclinical. It shall not replace mental health services
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provided by a mental health professional licensed, certified, or rostered
pursuant to title 26.
   (d)(1)     Developmentally appropriate guidance.   For any mental health
literacy or peer-to-peer support programs established pursuant to this section,
the Department of Mental Health shall develop age-appropriate guidance:
        (A) for elementary school-aged youth, that emphasizes social and
emotional development, peer connection, and strengthening protective factors;
and
        (B)     for middle and high school-aged youth, that emphasizes
protective factors, reducing stigma, and supporting students in recognizing and
appropriately responding to risk factors and warning signs associated with
mental health and substance use challenges, including co-occurring
challenges.
  (2)  As used in this subsection, “guidance” means defining and
disseminating best practices in a written format.
   (e) Reporting. Annually, on or before January 15, the Department of
Mental Health shall submit a written report to the House Committee on Health
Care and to the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare evaluating the
effectiveness of programming established pursuant to this section, including
aggregated information on:
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  (1) the number of schools, afterschool programs, and youth mentoring
agencies requesting and receiving the Department’s support;
  (2)       the number of students, educators, and school personnel
participating in programming pursuant to this section; and
  (3) findings and recommendations regarding mental health literacy and
peer-to-peer programming.
Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE
   This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
Sec. 1. LEGISLATIVE INTENT; MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY AND
    PEER SUPPORT INITIATIVES
   It is the intent of the General Assembly that the Department of Mental
Health, in collaboration with the Agency of Education, shall oversee a mental
health literacy training grant program to provide mental health literacy
training to educators, other school personnel, and afterschool staff and a peer-
to-peer mental health program to support structured opportunities for student
peer connection in a supervised school or afterschool setting to take effect on
July 1, 2028.
Sec. 2. FUNDING; MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY AND PEER SUPPORT
    INITIATIVES
   As part of its fiscal year 2028 budget presentation, the Department of
Mental Health, in collaboration with the Agency of Education, shall explore
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potential funding sources for the mental health literacy and peer-to-peer
programming described in Sec. 1 of this act, including whether any existing
special     funds   are   appropriate   sources   of   funding,   and   provide
recommendations accordingly.
Sec. 3. INVENTORY; MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY AND PEER
       SUPPORT INITIATIVES
   On or before January 15, 2027, the Department of Mental Health, in
collaboration with the Agency of Education and stakeholders, shall submit an
inventory of existing mental health programming and services in schools to the
House Committees on Appropriations and on Health Care and to the Senate
Committees on Appropriations and on Health and Welfare. The inventory
shall include a recommendation to integrate the mental health literacy and
peer-to-peer programming described in Sec. 1 of this act into the existing
programming and services listed in the inventory required pursuant to this
section.
Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE
   This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.