S 4413 — Establishes School-based Partnerships for Access and Resilience for Kids program in DCF; requires school districts to develop mental health support and partnership programs. **

     (8)  capture, track, and report program data and outcomes and support the reporting required under section 3 of this act, and the Children’s Mental Health Data Dashboard, as required to be established and maintained by the Department of Human Services pursuant to P.L.    , c.     (C.      ) (pending before the Legislature as Assembly Bill No.

5238 and Senate Bill No.

4416;

     (9)  provide psychiatric clearance, school re-entry, and transition planning following student behavioral health crises, hospitalizations, or emergency department visits;

     (10)  deliver educational support, consultation, and behavioral health guidance for school district personnel;

and      (11)  offer consultation and guidance for State and local school leaders to craft and implement evidence-based student mental health policies.

     The navigator may contract with a third-party vendor to provide the secure technology portal described in paragraph (6) of this subsection and the student information system integration, onboarding, training, consent management, and reporting functions described in paragraph (7) of this subsection.

     g.    The SPARK program’s participating health system shall support clinical capacity and escalation for participating school districts.

     h.

School re-entry and transition planning following a student’s behavioral health crisis, hospitalization, or emergency department visit shall be a shared responsibility of the participating school district, the SPARK program navigator, and the participating health system.

 The SPARK program navigator’s technology platform shall serve as the shared coordination record through which the parties document, communicate, and track the re-entry plan, the navigator’s psychiatric clearance, and the supports to be provided upon the student’s return.

     i.     The Commissioner of Children and Families, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education, shall establish a process by which public school districts may access services available through the SPARK pilot program established pursuant to subsection a.

of this section.

     j.  The Department of Children and Families, in consultation with the participating entities, shall establish metrics to be reported for the SPARK pilot program, which shall include, at a minimum:

the rate of student and family utilization of SPARK services;

the time elapsed between referral and first service;

any waitlists for SPARK services;

the completeness of referral information;

the time required to obtain parental and guardian authorization;

and re-entry planning timeliness and completion.

     k.    No later than 60 days following the conclusion of the pilot program, the department shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), including recommendations regarding the continuation or Statewide expansion of the SPARK pilot program established pursuant to subsection a.

of this section.

     l.     Absent a negative recommendation from the department pursuant to subsection k.

of this subsection, all school districts in the State shall participate in the SPARK program upon the conclusion of the pilot program pursuant to subsection a.

of this section.

     m.   In order to promote efficiency, effectiveness, and the timely implementation of the SPARK pilot program, established pursuant to subsection a.

of this section, during the current fiscal year and the Statewide SPARK program, established pursuant to subsection l.

of this section, providers that already provide behavioral, physical, or mental health services to school districts as of the effective date of this act, or which received grant funding from the State during the preceding fiscal year, and which demonstrate the capacity to provide expanded behavioral, physical, or mental health services to students in kindergarten through grade shall be eligible to participate in the SPARK pilot program and the Statewide SPARK program.

 Priority under the program may be given to applicants that demonstrate a commitment and ability to provide culturally responsive services that meet the needs of the populations they serve, including but not limited to the use of bilingual providers, multilingual resources, and other strategies designed to support English language learners and their families.

     n.    As a condition of participation in and accessing SPARK pilot program services and Statewide SPARK program services pursuant to this section, a school district shall report annually to the Department of Children and Families and the Department of Education on:

     (1)  the number of students accessing SPARK pilot program services during the most recent school year;

     (2) the number of students and families referred by the SPARK program navigator to community-based behavioral health providers;

     (3) the number of school personnel receiving educational support, consultation, and behavioral health guidance;

and      (4) any other information, as required by the Commissioner of Children and Families and the Commissioner of Education.

      o.   The Commissioner of Children and Families shall establish a public-facing data platform on the Department of Children and Families’ website to display, in a searchable format, the information provided pursuant to subsection j.

and subsection n.

of this section.2        3.    2[a.  Notwithstanding the provision of any law or regulation to  the contrary, there is established in the Department of Children and Families the School-Based Partnerships for Access and Resilience for Kids (SPARK) program, which shall be operated and administered by the New Jersey Pediatric Psychiatry Collaborative under contract to the department.

     (2)  (2)  referrals and linkages to care, as necessary, with community-based outpatient psychiatric providers and therapists;

     (3)  (3)  behavioral health care navigation, coordination, and family engagement;

     (4)  (4)  short-term medication management, stabilization support, and bridging services for students and families awaiting treatment or services from community-based providers;

     (5)  (5)  school re-entry planning, psychiatric clearance, and transition coordination following student behavioral health crises, hospitalizations, or emergency department visits;

     (6)  (6)  educational support, consultation, and behavioral health guidance for school district personnel;

and      (7)  (7)  consultation and guidance for State and local school leaders to craft and implement evidence-based student mental health policies.

     c.    c.    All School-Based Partnerships for Access and Resilience for Kids (SPARK) program services provided pursuant to subsection b.

     d.    The Commissioner of Children and Families, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education, shall establish a process by which public school districts, charter schools, and renaissance school projects may access services available through the School-Based Partnerships for Access and Resilience for Kids (SPARK) program pursuant to section 2 of P.L.    , c.     (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).bill)]  No later than 90 days after the conclusion of the SPARK pilot program established pursuant to section 2 of this act, the Commissioner of Children and Families shall report  to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), concerning the information required to be collected by the contracted administrator, including information on student outcomes, waitlists, the ability of the pilot to integrate and complement the New Jersey Statewide Student Support Services program, as well as recommendations for future service delivery2.

       4.    a. 2[a.  No later than 90 days after the effective date of P.L.    , c.     (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the Commissioner of Children and Families shall establish and implement a process and issue a request for proposals by which mobile mental health platforms may apply to be awarded the State’s single contract to provide a mobile mental health application that delivers universal, age-appropriate mental health information and resources specifically tailored to students in kindergarten through grade 12 and their families.

of this section complements the services available to students and families through the School-Based Partnerships for Access and Resilience for Kids (SPARK) program established pursuant to section 3 of P.L.    , c.     (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).bill)]  The Commissioner of Children and Families, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education, shall, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations as necessary to implement this act2.

       5.    a. 2[a.  As a condition of participation in and accessing School-Based Partnerships for Access and Resilience for Kids (SPARK) program services, as listed in subsection b.

     (1)  (1)  the number of students accessing School-Based Partnerships for Access and Resilience for Kids (SPARK) program services during the most recent school year;

     (2)  (2)  the number of students and families referred by the School-Based Partnerships for Access and Resilience for Kids (SPARK) program navigator to community-based behavioral health providers;

     (3)  (3)  the number of school personnel receiving educational support, consultation, and behavioral health guidance;

and      (4)  (4)  any other information, as required by the Commissioner of Children and Families and the Commissioner of Education.       b.    The Commissioner of Children and Families shall establish a public-facing data platform on the Department of Children and Families’ website to display, in a searchable format, the information provided pursuant to subsection a.

of this section.section] The provisions of this act shall take effect immediately2.

       6.   2[6. The Commissioner of Children and Families shall report annually to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1) concerning the information required to be collected by school districts, charter schools, and renaissance school projects pursuant to subsection a.

ofThe sectionCommissioner 5 of P.L.   Children ,and c.    Families (C.       shall )report (pendingannually beforeto the LegislatureGovernor, asand thisto bill). the  Legislature     pursuant 7.   to Thesection Commissioner2 of ChildrenP.L.1991, andc.164 Families(C.52:14-19.1) andconcerning the Commissionerinformation ofrequired Educationto shall,be incollected accordanceby withschool thedistricts, "Administrativecharter Procedureschools, Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulationsrenaissance asschool necessaryprojects pursuant to implementsubsection thisa. act.

       8.    There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Children and Families the sum of $44,000,000 to administer the School-Based Partnerships for Access and Resilience for Kids (SPARK) program established pursuant to section 35 of thisP.L.    act. ,  c.          (C.        9. ) The(pending provisionsbefore 1[of section 1]1 of this act shall take effect immediately, 1[and] except that1 the provisionsLegislature ofas section 4 shall take effect 90 days following the date of enactment 1[.  The] and the1 provisions of 1[section] sections1 2 1, 3, 5, and 61 of this actbill).]2 shall  take     effect2[7. six months following the date of enactment.  1[Finally, the provisions of sections 3, 5, and 6 shall take effect on the first day of the 25th month next following the date of enactment.]1 The Commissioner of Children and Families and the Commissioner of Education may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance of these effective dates as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.

The Commissioner of Children and Families and the Commissioner of Education shall, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations as necessary to implement this act.]2        2[8.

There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Children and Families the sum of $44,000,000 to administer the School-Based Partnerships for Access and Resilience for Kids (SPARK) program established pursuant to section 3 of this act.]2         2[9.  The provisions 1[of section 1]1 of this act shall take effect immediately, 1[and] except that1 the provisions of section 4 shall take effect 90 days following the date of enactment 1[.  The] and the1 provisions of 1[section] sections1 2 1, 3, 5, and 61 of this act shall take effect six months following the date of enactment.  1[Finally, the provisions of sections 3, 5, and 6 shall take effect on the first day of the 25th month next following the date of enactment.]1 The Commissioner of Children and Families and the Commissioner of Education may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance of these effective dates as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.]2