REFERENCE TITLE: early childhood mental health; appropriations

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-fourth Legislature

Second Regular Session

2020

HB 2450

Introduced by

Representatives Espinoza: Bolding, Pawlik, Sierra

AN ACT

establishing the early childhood mental health consultation and referral pilot program; appropriating monies.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Early childhood mental health consultation and referral pilot program; service providers; reporting requirements; appropriations; exemption; delayed repeal

A.  The early childhood mental health consultation and referral pilot program is established. The program shall meet all of the following criteria:

1.  Support the social and emotional well‑being of children who are not yet in kindergarten.

2.  Build the skills and capacity of early childhood education professionals and caregivers.

3.  Include prevention, early identification and reduction of challenging behaviors.

4.  Improve the capacity of teaching staff and caregivers to manage the emotional climate of the learning environment.

5.  Decrease the rate of program suspension and expulsion.

B.  The department of economic security shall award a contract on a competitive basis to a service provider that demonstrates the ability to implement an early childhood mental health consultation program, to educate early childhood education professionals and caregivers on how to meet the social and emotional needs of children in their care and to improve the educational and emotional climate for young children.

C.  The department shall require the service provider to submit a quarterly report containing the following:

1.  The number of children and providers participating in the program.

2.  The number of referrals for mental health services.

3.  The number of school suspensions and expulsions avoided.

4.  Other outcomes as determined by the department.

D.  On or before October 1 of each year, the department shall submit to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives a report containing a detailed description of the outcomes achieved for both children and early childhood education professionals and caregivers of the program.

E.  The sum of $2,000,000 is appropriated from the state general fund in each of fiscal years 2020‑2021, 2021‑2022, 2022‑2023, 2023‑2024 and 2024‑2025 to the department of economic security for the early childhood mental health consultation and referral pilot program established by this section. The appropriations made in this subsection are exempt from the provisions of section 35‑190, Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to lapsing of appropriations.

F.  This section is repealed from and after June 30, 2025.