Bill > HB1463

This bill, known as the "2026 Youth Mental Health Access For All Act," establishes a Student 24/7 Teletherapy Pilot Project administered by the State Department of Education to address the mental health crisis among Mississippi's youth by providing students in grades 6-12 with round-the-clock access to professional teletherapy and crisis services. The Department will award grants to local school districts, charter schools, and nonpublic schools, and can contract with qualified vendors who have at least five years of experience in telehealth, serve a minimum of 2.5 million students, and employ 100% licensed clinicians. These vendors must offer immediate same-day teletherapy appointments, 24/7 crisis support with follow-up, services that are completely free to students with no insurance or referral requirements, and a platform allowing students to choose their therapist via various communication methods, all while acting as an extension of school mental health teams and complying with privacy laws like HIPAA and FERPA. A dedicated "Student 24/7 Teletherapy Pilot Project Fund" will be created in the State Treasury to finance the program, with the Department allowed to use up to 10% of the funds for administrative costs, and a report on the pilot project's outcomes will be submitted to the Legislature by October 1, 2027.

Education

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB1463.xml