In a previous post, I wrote about a number of bills introduced that aimed to address children’s mental health. The introduction of the Education (SF 978) and Health & Human Services (SF1034) omnibus bills featured several mental health provisions that were originally proposed within individual bills. Inclusion of these provisions in the omnibus bills increases the chances that they will become law and supports children’s mental health as an area of growing importance to Minnesota legislators. As many families involved with child welfare have children receiving mental health assessment and treatment, these provisions directly affect the families child welfare professionals encounter daily.

Education Omnibus Bill Inclusions

Mental Health Education

The bill includes the language originally proposed within HF355/SF261 which would mandate that all 6th-12th graders in Minnesota receive age-appropriate mental health education. This learning would be integrated into the existing curriculum as a part of the National Health Education Standards. It remains somewhat unclear exactly what students would learn within this curriculum, but understanding the warning signs of mental illness in parents, friends, and themselves could lead to more students and their families to receive early intervention. Early and adequate treatment of mental illness within a family can decrease familial stress and potentially lessen the risk for abuse/neglect in the future.

Teaching Licensing

Originally proposed in HF354/SF260, the omnibus bill includes a provision that seeks to increase teacher awareness and knowledge of mental illness. It is currently a law that teachers must receive training on recognizing early warning signs of mental illness to become licensed. However, this bill would allow teachers to obtain education on a wide variety of mental health topics (e.g. de-escalation techniques, trauma, Autism Spectrum Disorders) and count these hours toward continuing education requirements for ongoing licensure. When school staff are better informed and knowledgeable about working with such children and families, educational outcomes may be improved. Further, school staff may have a stronger connection to a family and be better able to identify potential abuse or neglect while maintaining school as a resource for child safety and parental support.

Encouraging Collaboration

Under this proposed legislation, the proceeds from a district’s safe school’s levy can be used to pay the costs of mental health service collaboration. For example, this could cover the cost of having private mental health providers practice within a school or pay the costs of collaborating with these professionals. Ultimately, the aim of such a provision is to make mental health treatment easier for children and families to access while also encouraging collaboration with school staff members. This was previously included in HF356/SF252.

Health and Human Services Inclusions

Expanded Service Coverage

The Health and Human Service omnibus bill includes a provision contained in HF358/SF264 that would expand the services covered by Minnesota’s medical assistance. Expanded services include family psychoeducation and clinical care consultation when a child has a diagnosed mental illness and such services are recommended by a mental health professional as part of the child’s case plan. This would allow mental health professionals more time with the family to discuss the implications a child’s mental illness may have on the family and ways in which the family can best help the child. Such legislation also aims to encourage better communication among mental health professionals and other service providers (e.g. child protection workers, foster parents, teachers).

Expanded Coverage for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Treatment

A new addition to the omnibus bill that was not contained in any of the bills previously discussed is the proposal to create a new benefit that would provide early assessment and treatment to children identified as having ASD. This new inclusion is lengthy, but would essentially allow medical assistance payment for a wide range of interdisciplinary services to qualified children with an ASD diagnosis as part of a comprehensive and ongoing case plan to improve functioning. Research has shown that children with a disability are at a greater risk for abuse or neglect. Early intervention may give such families the treatment and resources needed to prevent maltreatment. In addition, young children may become involved with outside services sooner, which can lead to earlier identification and resolution when maltreatment does occur.