SB1037: School boards; school-based telehealth and mental health teletherapy services, accessibility.

Legislative Summary

School boards; student access to telehealth services; policies. Directs each school board to consider, for the purpose of increasing access to health care services for students, developing and implementing policies for permitting any public school student in the school division to schedule and participate in telehealth services, including mental health teletherapy services pursuant to a memorandum of understanding with a nationally recognized school-based telehealth provider developed in accordance with applicable law, on school property during regular school hours with parental consent. The bill requires any such policies developed and implemented by a school board to (i) require each public elementary and secondary school to designate a location in the school for student use for such telehealth appointments and implement measures to ensure the safety and privacy of any student participating in a telehealth appointment, (ii) prohibit any student from being subject to any disciplinary measure or consequence for participating in a telehealth appointment during regular school hours if such student would not be subject to any disciplinary measure or consequence for an absence for the purpose of receiving any health care services in person during regular school hours, and (iii) include such other requirements as the school board deems necessary and appropriate. Finally, the bill requires any school board that develops and implements any policies for permitting students to schedule and participate in telehealth services pursuant to the bill to provide and post in a publicly accessible location on its website at the beginning of each school year guidance relating to the implementation of such policies for administrative and instructional personnel. This bill incorporates SB 1130 and is identical to HB 1945.