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.
AI-Generated Summary
This bill, House Bill 1030, mandates specific mental health training for personnel within Arkansas public schools. It requires school resource officers (SROs) or law enforcement personnel assigned to public school campuses or employed by public school districts to obtain certification in Youth Mental Health First Aid. This certification must be renewed every four years. The bill also mandates that school counselors receive Youth Mental Health First Aid training. This training aims to equip these professionals with knowledge about risk factors, warning signs of adolescent mental health issues, the importance of early intervention, and how to assist students in crisis or facing mental health challenges. The Youth Mental Health First Aid training for SROs will count towards their required public school-specific continuing education hours. The deadline for school counselors to receive this training is extended to September 1, 2025.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
The primary beneficiaries of this bill are students in Arkansas public schools. By requiring school resource officers and school counselors to undergo Youth Mental Health First Aid training, the bill aims to improve the identification of and response to mental health issues among students. This could lead to earlier interventions, better support for students experiencing mental health challenges, and potentially a safer school environment. The professional development of school resource officers and counselors is also enhanced through this specialized training.
Who Might Suffer?
The entities most directly impacted negatively are the public school districts and potentially the individuals who must obtain the training. School districts will likely incur costs associated with providing or facilitating this training for their school resource officers and counselors, including potential costs for certification fees, training materials, and time away from other duties. School resource officers and school counselors will be required to dedicate time and effort to complete this mandatory training and its renewal, which could impact their existing workloads and schedules. There may also be indirect impacts on budget allocations within school districts as they prioritize funding for this new requirement.