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Bill

HB 809

School Social Workers

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Robin Bartleman and 8 co-sponsors

Florida law now requires public schools to employ licensed school social workers with specified qualifications and establishes minimum staffing standards to provide mental health support services.

Chapter No. 2025-62
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Bill Summary · HB 809

Legislative bill overview

HB 809 establishes requirements for school social workers in Florida public schools, including qualifications, duties, and staffing standards. The bill creates statewide guidelines to ensure consistent delivery of social work services to students across school districts.

Why is this important

School social workers provide critical mental health support, crisis intervention, and counseling services to students. This legislation standardizes their role and qualifications, which can improve student mental health outcomes, early identification of at-risk students, and coordination between schools and community resources. With youth mental health challenges rising, this formalizes professional standards across districts of varying sizes and resources.

Potential points of contention

  • Funding burden: Smaller school districts may struggle with the cost of hiring qualified social workers to meet new staffing ratios, potentially requiring state funding supplements
  • Scope of practice overlap: Defining social workers' responsibilities versus school counselors, psychologists, and administrators could create jurisdictional conflicts
  • Credential requirements: Strict qualification standards may limit the pool of available candidates, particularly in rural areas, leading to hiring difficulties

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

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