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LD 858

An Act To Ensure Behavioral And Mental Health Services Are Available To Students By Providing Grants To Schools That Contract For Those Services

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Michael Brennan and 4 co-sponsors

Creates grants for school districts to contract mental health services for students, but Senate amendment caps funding to two one-time $100,000 payments, not ongoing funding.

Became Law without Governor's Signature
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Bill Summary · LD 858

Summary — LD 858

Title: An Act To Ensure Behavioral And Mental Health Services Are Available To Students by Providing Grants To Schools That Contract For Those Services
Bill Number: LD 858
Introduced: March 4, 2025
Status: Held by the Governor (as of July 8, 2025)
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs

Purpose / Intent

The bill’s stated purpose is to increase access to behavioral and mental health services for K–12 students by creating a grant program administered by the Department of Education. Grants would be awarded to school administrative units (SAUs) that contract with external providers to deliver behavioral and mental health services to students.

Key provisions

  • Establishes (via appropriation) state grant funding to SAUs that contract for behavioral and mental health services for students.
  • Directs appropriations to the Department of Education to distribute the grants (details of eligibility, application, allowable uses, reporting, and oversight are contained in the bill text but are not detailed in the fiscal notes provided).

Fiscal impact / Appropriations

Two different fiscal notes were prepared reflecting amendments:

  • Original/Committee-amended bill (LR1832(01)/(02)): would have provided ongoing General Fund appropriations of $1,353,000 per year beginning in FY 2025‑26 for the grant program.
  • As amended by the Senate (LR1832(04), Senate Amendment S-464): replaced the ongoing appropriation with one‑time General Fund appropriations of $100,000 in FY 2025‑26 and $100,000 in FY 2026‑27 only. The amendment therefore eliminates the $1,353,000/year ongoing funding and limits state support to two one‑time payments of $100,000.

The fiscal notes show the fiscal effect of those changes (the Senate amendment reduces the long‑term cost compared with the original request).

Who is affected

  • Department of Education — responsible for receiving and distributing grant funding and administering the program.
  • School administrative units (public school districts) — eligible to apply for grants if they contract for behavioral/mental health services.
  • Students and families — potential increased access to contracted behavioral and mental health services where grants are awarded.
  • Private/community mental health providers — potential contracting partners for SAUs.

Legislative / procedural history (highlights)

  • Referred to Education and Cultural Affairs (3/4/2025). Committee work and amendments in May 2025.
  • Committee Amendment A (H‑289) and Senate Amendment A (S‑464) were adopted.
  • Passed both chambers (final legislative actions on 6/25/2025).
  • Status: Held by the Governor (7/8/2025) — pending gubernatorial action (signature, veto, or other final disposition).

Practical effect / considerations

  • Under the adopted Senate amendment the program, as funded by the Legislature, would be limited to modest, one‑time grant funding in two fiscal years ($100,000 each), rather than a sustained, statewide grant program at the $1.353 million/year level originally contemplated. The scope and reach of services that can be supported with the smaller one‑time amounts will be substantially narrower than under the original appropriation.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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