Bill > S2659

This bill establishes a Train the Trainer Program for Student Wellbeing within the New Jersey Department of Education, with the purpose of educating participants on how to effectively lead a course for public school teachers and staff on the topic of student behavioral and mental health. The program will provide evidence-based instruction on various aspects of student wellbeing, including trauma-informed approaches, recognizing signs of mental health challenges, restorative practices, and methods to improve social-emotional health and school climate. The Department of Education may contract with an experienced organization to deliver the program, and school districts are not required to participate. The Commissioner of Education will evaluate the program's effectiveness annually and report on it after three years, and the bill appropriates $1 million to the Department of Education to implement the provisions of the act.