Arkansas legislation · 95th General Assembly (2025 Regular)
Arkansas SB451: TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH REGIONAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAMS; TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE EDUCATION OF CERTAIN STUDENTS; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY
Status: Vetoed, May 5, 2025
What the bill says
An act to be entitled an act concerning student mental health; to require the department of human services and the department of education to establish regional behavioral health programs; to amend the law concerning the education of students placed in juvenile detention facilities; to declare an emergency; and for other purposes. subtitle to require the department of human services and the department of education to establish regional behavioral health programs; to amend the law concerning the education of certain students; and to declare an emergency.
From the introduced text:
An Act To Be Entitled AN ACT CONCERNING STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH REGIONAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAMS; TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS PLACED IN JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITIES; TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Subtitle TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH REGIONAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAMS; TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE EDUCATION OF CERTAIN STUDENTS; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 18, Subchapter 1, is amended to add an additional section to read as follows: 6-18-116. Behavioral health programs. (a) No later than January 1, 2026, the Department of Human Services, as the Medicaid agency, in consultation with the Department of Education shall establish regional behavioral health programs to assist public school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools with locating the appropriate services for a student who demonstrates a behavior that is substantially likely to cause injury to the student, other students, or staff. *TNL309* 04-03-2025 15:13:22 TNL309 As Engrossed: S4/3/25 SB451 (b) A behavioral health program shall: (1) Respond to a request from a public school district or an open-enrollment public charter school within forty-eight (48) …