HB1030
To Require A School Resource Officer Or Law Enforcement Personnel To Obtain Certification In Youth Mental Health First Aid; And To Require A School Counselor To Receive Youth Mental Health First Aid Training.
Last Action (May 5, 2025): Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
Sponsors
AI-Generated Summary
House Bill 1030 mandates that school resource officers (SROs) and law enforcement personnel assigned to public school campuses in Arkansas obtain and maintain certification in Youth Mental Health First Aid. It further requires that this certification be renewed every four years. The bill also updates requirements for school counselors, stipulating they must receive Youth Mental Health First Aid training by September 1, 2025, and every four years thereafter. The legislation clarifies that training hours for SROs in this area will count toward their required annual continuing education hours. The primary objective is to equip school personnel with the knowledge to recognize risk factors and warning signs of mental health issues in adolescents and to provide appropriate initial support.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
The primary beneficiaries are public school students, who would have access to staff better equipped to identify and address mental health crises or challenges. Additionally, school districts benefit from having more highly trained personnel, potentially leading to safer campus environments and more effective early intervention strategies for at-risk youth.
Who Might Suffer?
School resource officers, law enforcement personnel, and school counselors would be negatively impacted in terms of the additional time and potential logistical effort required to complete and maintain the specific Youth Mental Health First Aid certification. Furthermore, public school districts may face increased costs or administrative burdens related to ensuring staff compliance with these new training mandates.
Get Notified
Receive an email when this bill's status changes.