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SB 297

School Social Worker Amendments

2026 General Session Introduced by Emily Buss and 1 co-sponsor

SB 297 clarifies who can provide school-based mental health support, ties funding to collaboration with local mental health authorities, and requires measurable goals and oversight

Senate/ filed
#education #governmentoperations(stateissues) #k-12education #localeducationagencies(leas) #schooldistricts #schoolfinance #schoolpersonnel #stateboardofeducation
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Bill Summary · SB 297

Overview

SB 297 (2026) from Utah focuses on school-based health and counseling supports, specifically clarifying and expanding the role and oversight of qualifying personnel, including school social workers and related staff. The bill directs how funds for school-based mental health support are distributed, aligns supervision requirements with the Department of Professional Licensing, and adds technical changes to reflect current licensing structure and practice.

Purpose and intent

  • To enhance targeted school-based mental health support in public schools by clearly defining qualifying personnel and expanding the use of funds for mental health services.
  • To ensure proper supervision and clinical oversight through alignment with licensing rules.
  • To promote collaboration among LEAs, local mental health authorities, parents, and educators in identifying and addressing students’ academic and mental health needs.

Key provisions and changes

  • Definition refinement:

    • Establishes and clarifies “qualifying personnel” as school counselors, school psychologists, school social workers (including licensed social service workers), and school nurses who are licensed and collaborate with educators and parents on early identification, intervention, and removing barriers to learning.
    • Defines “behavioral health support personnel” as individuals who work under the supervision of qualifying personnel to support student progress and behavior, without being licensed in mental health, and who meet state board qualifications.
    • Includes social service workers licensed under Title 58, Chapter 60, Part 2, and social service worker interns within qualifying personnel.

  • Funding distribution and use (Subsection 2):

    • The State Board of Education (SBOE) shall distribute money appropriated to LEAs for targeted school-based mental health support through qualifying personnel, behavioral health support personnel, or contracts—including telehealth.
    • SBOE must develop a distribution formula that incentivizes collaboration with the county’s local mental health authority.
    • SBOE must provide guidance on training, qualifications, roles, and scopes of practice, emphasizing parent consent and partnership.

  • LEA plan requirements (Section 3):

    • LEAs must submit a plan with measurable goals (safety, engagement, climate, or achievement), a description of how funds will meet those goals, how they meet parent education requirements, and whether they will collaborate with the local mental health authority.

  • Oversight and reporting (Sections 4–7):

    • SBOE must ensure funds align with Department of Professional Licensing supervision requirements and apply a defined distribution formula.
    • LEAs receiving funds must submit annual reports detailing progress toward goals, any discontinuation of positions, and compliance with related statutory provisions.
    • Annual reporting framework and administrative rules will be established, including plan submission, distribution methodology, and reporting.

  • Use of funds and flexibility (Section 5):

    • Funds may not be used to supplant existing federal, state, or local money for qualifying or behavioral health personnel or related contracts.
    • Some flexibility on permissible uses of funds includes support for SafeUT Crisis Line, youth suicide prevention programs, comprehensive prevention plans, or providing grants to LEAs.

  • Training and guidance (Section 8):

    • Beginning no later than 2019, SBOE must provide training on the impact of childhood trauma on learning, cautioning against medical practice, diagnosis, or treatment by educators.

  • Specialized funding and administration (Section 9):

    • The state board may allocate up to 2% of the appropriation for administrative costs.
    • Use of up to $1.5 million (nonlapsing balance from FY 2022) for four-year scholarships to LEA employees pursuing education/training to become school social workers, psychologists, or other school-based mental health workers.

  • Additional permissible uses (Section 10):

    • Funds may be used to support the SafeUT Crisis Line, youth suicide prevention programs, comprehensive prevention plans, or LEA grants as described in related statutes.

Who is affected

  • Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and their governing boards.
  • Licensed school social workers, school counselors, school psychologists, school nurses, school social workers interns, and other qualifying personnel.
  • Behavioral health support personnel who work under the supervision of qualifying personnel.
  • Local mental health authorities in each county, given the collaboration requirement in the funding formula.
  • Parents and students, due to emphasis on parental consent, education, and partnership.
  • State Board of Education and the Department of Professional Licensing (for supervision alignment).

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective date: May 6, 2026.
  • The bill requires SBOE to develop a distribution formula after consultation with LEA governing boards and to provide guidance on training and roles.
  • LEAs must submit plans to the SBOE to qualify for funding.
  • Annual reporting by LEAs receiving funds, including goals progress and personnel changes.
  • Administrative rulemaking under Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act to implement plan submission, distribution, and reporting processes.
  • Some fiscal notes indicate potential ongoing costs starting FY 2027 for SBOE supervision/reporting and possible ongoing costs per LEA for additional supervision to meet DOPL requirements.

Fiscal notes (highlights)

  • Ongoing cost to the State Board of Education: about $2,000 annually from the Income Tax Fund starting in FY 2027 for supervision and reporting duties.
  • Potential per-LEA cost: approximately $65,000 per LEA beginning in FY 2027 to hire additional supervisory personnel to ensure DOPL compliance if needed.
  • No net statewide revenue impact; expenditures primarily relate to administration and compliance.

Bottom line

SB 297 aims to strengthen school-based mental health infrastructure by clarifying who qualifies as mental health support personnel, ensuring proper supervision aligned with licensing rules, and establishing a funded framework for LEAs to collaborate with local mental health authorities. It emphasizes measurable goals, parent partnership, trauma-informed training, and accountable reporting, while making targeted use of funds for personnel, services (including telehealth), and prevention programs.

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

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