HOUSE BILL 127

54th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2020

INTRODUCED BY

Raymundo Lara

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO SOCIAL SERVICES; REQUIRING THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO CONDUCT AN ASSET MAPPING AND GAP ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS' ACCESS TO SOCIAL SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE STATE; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. TEMPORARY PROVISION--SOCIAL SERVICES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS TASK FORCE--MEMBERS--DUTIES.--

          A. As used in this section:

                (1) "behavioral health services" includes services from licensed behavioral health professionals, including social workers and psychologists;

                (2) "social services" means one or more of the following types of service:

                     (a) nursing;

                     (b) school counseling; and

                     (c) behavioral health services; and

                (3) "students" includes charter school students.

          B. The secretary of public education shall convene and support a "social services in public schools task force". The social services in public schools task force shall have at least the following members:

                (1) two members from the public education department;

                (2) one member from the department of health with expertise in public school health services;

                (3) one member from the children, youth and families department with expertise in social work;

                (4) one member from the early childhood education and care department with expertise in the socio-emotional health of children;

                (5) one member from the human services department with expertise in public school behavioral health services;

                (6) one member with expertise in community schools;

                (7) one member with expertise in health care services in public schools through school-based health centers;

                (8) one member with expertise in social-work-related services for students with individualized educational plans;

                (9) one member who is a licensed school employee with expertise in behavioral health services in public schools;

                (10) one member with expertise in behavioral health services in public schools, but who is not an employee of a school district or charter school;

                (11) one member with expertise in providing social services in rural school districts;

                (12) one member with expertise in providing social services in small school districts;

                (13) one member with expertise in providing social services in urban school districts;

                (14) one member who is a superintendent of a school district in New Mexico;

                (15) one member representing families in New Mexico;

                (16) one member representing public school nurses; and

                (17) one member each from the two largest education unions in New Mexico.

          C. The secretary of public education may appoint additional task force members or may appoint nonvoting advisory members.

          D. Public members of the task force are entitled to per diem and mileage as provided for state employees in the Per Diem and Mileage Act and shall receive no other compensation, perquisite or allowance.

          E. The task force shall:

                (1) conduct an asset mapping and gap analysis to determine the availability, accessibility and need for social services in public schools; and

                (2) report its findings and recommendations to the secretary of public education prior to reporting to the legislative education study committee by October 1, 2020.

          F. The asset mapping shall include a detailed study on what social services are present within the boundaries of each school district, including charter schools, in the state, including:

                (1) the demographic makeup of the students in each school district;

                (2) how many students have accessed social services by type in each school district over at least the latest three years for which data are available; provided that all data used by the task force shall be disaggregated so that individual students cannot be identified;

                (3) the demographic makeup of students who have accessed social services by type in each school district;

                (4) the manner in which students have accessed the social services by type, including public school employees, memoranda of understanding or contracts with outside organizations and access through a community school;

                (5) whether and how school districts and charter schools are leveraging social services resources from a surrounding community to serve students;

                (6) whether the social services in each school district are also available to families of students;

                (7) the cost of providing social services to students within each school district; and

                (8) other factors and information deemed beneficial by the task force.

          G. The gap analysis shall include a detailed study of where social services by type are and are not located in each school district by municipality, unincorporated town or village, identifiable community or unidentifiable areas listed as "remainder of school district", including:

                (1) how many students do not have access to social services by type in each school district because the particular social service is not available;

                (2) how many students have not accessed social services by type in each school district where services are available;

                (3) what social services need to be developed in each school district to close the social services gap and ensure that all students have access to social services;

                (4) what are the barriers to making social services available in each school district, including transportation, lack of staff and funding; and

                (5) other factors and information deemed beneficial by the task force.

          H. The final report of the task force shall detail and provide:

                (1) an analysis of what social services are available and what social services are needed within the geographical boundaries of each school district, by district and charter school, as applicable;

                (2) an analysis of the barriers preventing school districts and charter schools from providing access to social services;

                (3) short-term policy and funding recommendations on how to ensure that all students have access to social services; and

                (4) long-term policy and funding recommendations on how the state can provide all students social services within five years.

          I. Upon the completion of its work, the task force shall present its final report of the task force, including final findings and recommendations, to the governor, the legislative education study committee, the legislative council service library and the public by December 1, 2020.

     SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--Five

hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the public education department for expenditure in fiscal year 2021 to pay the expenses of and staffing for the social services in public schools task force. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2021 shall revert to the general fund.

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