An Act To Improve Behavioral Health Support For Students In Public Schools

This bill amends Maine's school funding formula to require specific staffing ratios for student support roles in public schools. It lowers the student-to-guidance staff ratio for elementary and middle schools from 350:1 to 250:1 and establishes new requirements for a clinical mental health provider ratio of 250:1 and a school psychologist ratio of 500:1 across all school levels. The legislation defines clinical mental health providers to include licensed social workers, counselors, and pastoral counselors, and allocates over $81 million in state funds to cover the costs of hiring staff to meet these standards. Additionally, the bill authorizes a pilot program to train 15 to 20 public school employees as behavior analysts in collaboration with the University of Southern Maine.