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Bill

SB 486

School Health and Wellness Personnel Assessment and Maryland Council on Advancement of School-Based Health Centers

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Clarence Lam

Maryland establishes school health personnel assessment and advisory council to identify staffing gaps and develop recommendations for expanding school-based health centers statewide.

Rereferred to Health and Government Operations and Ways and Means
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Bill Summary · SB 486

Legislative bill overview

SB 486 establishes a comprehensive assessment of school health and wellness personnel in Maryland and creates a Maryland Council on Advancement of School-Based Health Centers. The bill requires evaluation of current staffing levels, qualifications, and gaps in school health services, while creating a formal council to develop recommendations for expanding and improving school-based health center operations statewide.

Why is this important

School-based health services are critical infrastructure for student wellness, particularly in underserved communities where students may lack access to healthcare. This assessment and council structure could identify systemic gaps in mental health services, nursing care, and preventive health programming while establishing a coordinated framework for expansion—affecting how schools allocate resources and how students access care during school hours.

Potential points of contention

  • Funding requirements: The bill mandates assessment and council operations but may lack dedicated funding streams, potentially placing unfunded mandates on schools or the state budget
  • Implementation scope and timeline: Questions about how comprehensively schools must assess their personnel and what compliance mechanisms exist if recommendations conflict with local district priorities
  • Health center expansion costs: Recommendations to expand school-based health centers could require significant capital investment and ongoing operational funding that schools or the state may struggle to absorb

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

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