Requires school psychologists and school counselors to complete mental health first aid training.

S 945 requires all school psychologists and counselors in New Jersey to complete an 8-hour mental health first aid training course during their first year of employment and at least once every three years thereafter. The training, developed by the Department of Education with input from the Department of Human Services, covers identifying signs of mental health issues and substance use in students, risk factors, and response strategies for both crisis and non-crisis situations. It specifically includes information on conditions like depression, anxiety, trauma, and psychosis affecting children and adolescents. The course must be reviewed and updated every three years to reflect current mental health understanding. This bill applies directly to school psychologists and counselors employed in New Jersey public schools.