SB 955 creates a new mental health registration plate for Pennsylvania vehicles, featuring the Liberty Bell with a teal and purple ribbon and the phrase "Mental Health Matters." Vehicle owners (motorcycles, passenger cars, trucks under 14,000 pounds, or motor homes) can apply for this plate by paying a $42 fee, with $15 of that fee directed to a new Mental Health Restricted Account. This account, established under the bill, is specifically funded to support the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or its successor through the Department of Human Services. The bill directly affects vehicle owners seeking to display the plate and ensures dedicated funding for mental health crisis services.
This bill (HB 83) amends Pennsylvania's 1970 law to allow minors aged 16 to 18 to consent independently to mental health treatment (both inpatient and outpatient) without parental permission. It establishes clear rules for when minors or parents can revoke consent and requires courts to hold a hearing within 72 hours if a minor objects to continued treatment, with strict criteria for overriding their wishes. The law explicitly excludes minors with "special needs" (defined as intellectual disabilities with adaptive limitations) from these provisions. It applies specifically to mental health services, not general medical care, and clarifies liability for providers who rely on a minor's consent.
HB 261 amends Pennsylvania's 1921 Insurance Company Law to update coverage rules for dependents and clarify community health definitions. It requires insurers to continue health coverage for unmarried children with intellectual or physical disabilities (who became disabled before age 19 and remain dependent) past age 19, provided policyholders submit proof within 31 days of the child's 19th birthday. The bill also revises "community health reinvestment activity" to explicitly include programs for preventing/treating intellectual disabilities and mental health services. These changes apply to policies issued after January 1, 1968, affecting insurers, employers offering group plans, and policyholders with disabled dependents. The law took effect immediately upon signing in June 2025.
HB 1853 amends Pennsylvania's licensing law for social workers, marriage and family therapists, and professional counselors. It updates definitions, licensing procedures, and board powers while adding a specific restriction: it prohibits the use of the title "Licensed Recreational Therapist" for professionals not meeting the defined standards for these licensed roles. The bill directly affects current license holders and applicants in these specific mental health professions within Pennsylvania. Key provisions include clarifying board functions, licensing requirements, out-of-state license endorsement rules, and adding penalties for unauthorized title use.
Senate Bill 716 amends Pennsylvania's Mental Health Procedures Act, primarily to update terminology and expand the scope of mental health services. The bill explicitly includes "substance use disorder" as a mental illness, making it eligible for treatment under the act. It also clarifies that assisted outpatient treatment services can encompass substance use disorder treatments, especially when co-occurring with a primary mental illness diagnosis. Additionally, the bill updates outdated language for conditions such as intellectual disability, alcohol use disorder, and age-related cognitive decline.
SB 781 creates a new "mental health day" category allowing Pennsylvania students to miss school excused for mental or physical fatigue due to mental health needs, whether diagnosed (like anxiety or depression) or not (such as trauma from school incidents or academic stress). It permits up to two consecutive days per week for mental health days, with schools required to adopt policies by the 2026-2027 school year. The bill defines "uncertified" mental health needs broadly to include un-diagnosed stressors like grief, bullying, or burnout, while limiting additional days beyond the two-day weekly cap. The state department must develop model policies and guidelines within 90 days of the bill's effective date.
HB 1790 establishes a grant program to provide financial assistance to students training to become licensed clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and professional counselors in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) will administer the program, managing applications and disbursements of funds. This bill amends the state's Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Act to create this new funding opportunity. The program directly benefits students in these mental health professions by helping offset education costs.
HB 361 amends Pennsylvania's Fiscal Code to create a grant program supporting integrated behavioral health care in primary care settings. It provides funding for primary care physicians and practices to cover initial costs of implementing two evidence-based models: the Collaborative Care Model (with psychiatric consultants and care managers) and the Primary Care Behavioral Health Model (with behavioral health professionals on-site). Grants can be used for hiring staff, contracting specialists, purchasing software, and building patient registries, with priority given to rural providers and practices in counties with high suicide or overdose rates. The bill also establishes six regional technical assistance centers to support implementation across Pennsylvania.
HB 1648 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to establish "mental health days" as an excused absence for students, directly affecting public, nonpublic, and private school students. Schools must adopt policies by the 2026-2027 school year allowing up to two consecutive days off for mental or physical fatigue due to mental health-related stressors, whether certified (like anxiety) or uncertified (like bullying or family trauma). The bill prohibits more than three mental health days in a week or two consecutive weeks, except as permitted by school policies. The state Department of Education will develop model guidelines within 90 days to help schools implement these policies.
This bill adds music therapy to Pennsylvania's existing licensing framework for mental health professionals. It creates a new "licensed professional music therapist" category and defines "practice of music therapy" to include clinically proven techniques like music improvisation, songwriting, and music-based assessments. The State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, Professional Counselors, and Professional Music Therapists will regulate this new license. It directly affects individuals who provide music therapy services independently, requiring them to hold this specific license while clarifying that existing healthcare providers (like hospitals or schools) aren't required to obtain it for their employment.
