Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that ensures behavioral and mental health services are available to students by providing grants to schools that contract for those services

Highlights:

• Establishes a grant program within the Department of Education to provide grants to school administrative units that contract for behavioral and mental health services provided by licensed behavioral and mental health service providers (Sec. 1-3).

• Limits the use of funds provided through the grant program to behavioral and mental health services that are not otherwise covered or reimbursable through the MaineCare program and provides that funds must be used in a manner that does not supplant qualified and available school administrative unit behavioral and mental health staff (Sec. 1-3). 

• Requires that the amounts of the grants must be based on a school administrative unit's population (Sec. 1-3).

• Appropriates ongoing funding for the grants starting in fiscal year 2025-26 (Sec. 1-3).