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HB200 - An Act To Amend Title 14 Of The Delaware Code Relating To School-based Mental Health Services.
Valerie J. Longhurst, Marie Pinkney, Debra J. Heffernan
Last updated 4 months ago
26 Co-Sponsors
This Act establishes a mental health services unit for Delaware high schools. The unit is phased in over 3 years, beginning in FY2024, to arrive at a final ratio of 250 full-time equivalent students grades 9-12 for a full-time school counselor, school social worker, or licensed clinical social worker. Additionally, a unit ratio of 700 full time equivalent students for grades 9-12 for employment of a full-time school psychologist. This Act defines mental health services as prevention, response, and coordination services delivered to students in high schools. Mental Health disorders are the most common health problem for school aged youth. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), one in five youth are affected by a mental health disorder. Additionally, 50% of lifetime mental illnesses begin by age 14. Untreated mental illness leads to negative outcomes including increased risk of dropout, homelessness, substance abuse, other chronic illnesses, incarceration, and possibly suicide. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, ninety percent of people who have taken their own life have had an underlying mental health condition, and suicides are on the rise. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suicides are now the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10-14. Delaware schools need trained and experienced mental health professionals to provide prevention and support programs and services to students. This bill will lower ratios of students to counselors and increase access to mental health services for high school students. Districts and charters should prioritize the hiring of school counselors who provide mental health services over those who provide career counseling.
STATUS
Passed
HB4 - An Act To Amend Title 14 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Mental Health Services For School Trauma.
Valerie J. Longhurst, Laura Sturgeon, Debra J. Heffernan
Last updated over 1 year ago
21 Co-Sponsors
This Act is Nolans Law. The purpose of this legislation is to provide more behavioral health supports to school districts and charter schools in the aftermath of a school-connected traumatic event, which is defined as the death of any student, educator, administrator, or other building employee of a public school.
STATUS
Passed
HB135 - An Act To Amend Title 10 Of The Delaware Code Relating To The Supreme Court.
Sean M. Lynn, William Charles Paradee, Eric Buckson
Last updated over 1 year ago
25 Co-Sponsors
This bill requires that of the five Justices appointed to the Supreme Court, at least one is a resident of Kent County, at least one is a resident of Sussex County and at least two are residents of New Castle County.
STATUS
Engrossed
SB106 - An Act To Amend Title 16 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Maternal Mental Health.
Kyle Evans Gay, Elizabeth Lockman, Krista Griffith
Last updated about 2 months ago
24 Co-Sponsors
This Act modernizes and expands the concept of maternal mental health by replacing the definition of maternal depression with the more encompassing definition of perinatal mood and anxiety disorder. This Act contemplates treatment for any caregiver who may be affected by perinatal mood and anxiety disorder. This Act avoids use of gender-based pronouns as recommended by the Legislative Drafting Manual.
STATUS
Passed
HCR27 - Designating The Week Of February 27- March 3, 2023 As Public Schools Week And Honoring Delawares Educators And Staff.
Kimberly Williams, Laura Sturgeon, Sean Matthews
Last updated over 1 year ago
4 Co-Sponsors
This Concurrent Resolution designates the week of February 27-March 3, 2023 PUBLIC SCHOOLS WEEK and commends the hard work of educators and staff. It also calls upon Delawareans to support public schools.
STATUS
Engrossed
HB88 - An Act To Amend Title 14 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Candidacy For School Board Member.
Paul S. Baumbach, Laura Sturgeon, Brian Guy Pettyjohn
Last updated over 1 year ago
13 Co-Sponsors
Under Senate Substitute No. 2 for Senate Bill No. 78 (151st), the Commissioner of Elections (Commissioner) must determine that an individual does not have any disqualifying convictions before the individual can be a candidate for election to a school board. This Act clarifies that an individual who meets the filing deadline for candidates for a school board election are provisional candidates until the Commissioner determines if the individual is eligible to be a candidate and requires the Commissioner to disclose the names of provisional candidates.
STATUS
Passed
HCR36 - Recognizing April 6, 2023, As Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Or "aka Day At The Capital" In Delaware.
Sherry Dorsey Walker, Darius Brown, Eric Buckson
Last updated over 1 year ago
30 Co-Sponsors
This Concurrent Resolution recognizes April 6, 2023, as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated or AKA Day at the Capital in Delaware.
STATUS
Engrossed
HB3 - An Act To Amend Title 14 Relating To School Attendance.
Valerie J. Longhurst, Laura Sturgeon, Debra J. Heffernan
Last updated over 1 year ago
20 Co-Sponsors
According to a recent CDC survey, the COVID pandemic exacerbated an existing mental health crisis for students. One in 5 school aged children has a mental health condition, and 45% of children may have experienced a traumatic event. This bill provides for excused absences for the mental or behavior health of a student and requires that any student taking more than 2 such excused absences will be referred to a behavioral health specialist. This bill provides a supplemental tool to identify students struggling with mental and behavioral health issues and legitimizes these struggles faced by many students. Moreover, this bill makes clear that the mental and behavioral health of students is a priority in this State.
STATUS
Passed
SCR24 - Recognizing April 2 Through 8, 2023, As "week Of The Young Child" In Delaware.
Kyle Evans Gay, Sherae'a A. Moore, Michael F. Smith
Last updated over 1 year ago
16 Co-Sponsors
This resolution recognizes April 2 through 8, 2023, as Week of the Young Child in Delaware.
STATUS
Engrossed
HB87 - An Act To Amend Title 3 Of The Delaware Code Relating To A Delaware Agricultural Production Insurance Assistance Program.
William J. Carson, Russ Huxtable, Gerald W. Hocker
Last updated 4 months ago
14 Co-Sponsors
This Act establishes the Delaware Agricultural Production Assistance Program. The Program will provide a subsidy of up to 30% of the premium for eligible producers multi-peril crop insurance premium, or whole farm revenue protection premium up to a maximum of $10.00 per acre. The subsidy would be directly paid by the Delaware Department of Agriculture to the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation on behalf of Delaware eligible producers. The Department would administer the Program. The Act requires the Department to provide an annual Report to the Chairs of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees.
STATUS
Passed
BIOGRAPHY
INCUMBENT
Representative from Delaware district HD-008
COMMITTEES
Delaware House
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Delaware House from Delaware
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