Bill > SB521

This bill directs the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) and the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) to develop a comprehensive plan to expand suicide prevention grants into a universal mental health education program for all public schools in the state. The plan must include detailed components such as program curriculum, strategies for providing financial and technical support to schools, methods for data collection and measuring program success, and a focus on specific mental health areas like bullying, suicide, and substance use. The bill requires DPHHS and OPI to submit joint progress reports to legislative interim committees on September 1, 2025, January 1, 2026, and a final program plan by May 1, 2026. The legislation is based on the PAX Good Behavior Game, a 30-year curriculum that has demonstrated benefits in reducing student anxiety, violence, and substance abuse while promoting civic engagement. The bill aims to create a preventative health initiative that could potentially reduce future demand for state mental health services, decrease crime and violence, and establish a path to wellness. Additionally, the bill requires the secretary of state to notify tribal governments about the act and becomes effective immediately upon passage and approval.

Education

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC2809