Senate Passes Senator Fields’ Bill to Provide More Mental Health Professionals in Schools

March 25, 2019

Denver, CO– The Colorado State Senate recently voted 22-to-8 (5 absent) to pass SB19-010, Professional Behavioral Health Services For Schools, a bill sponsored by Senator Rhonda Fields (D-Aurora) that would put more mental health professionals in schools to support the needs of students across Colorado. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration. 

“Our children are suffering, so much so that some decide to take their own life, and the lack of support in our schools is unacceptable,” said Senator Fields. “Our children can thrive if we make mental health resources more robust and accessible, and this bill is an important step towards ensuring we support children’s mental health needs.”

This bill will put more mental health professionals in schools to support the needs of students across Colorado by building on the success of an existing program that allows schools to use grant funding to contract with providers. Those funds would be used to provide students a range of mental and behavioral health treatments including counseling, therapy, and trainings for staff. Schools would be prioritized based on demonstrated need for mental and behavioral health professionals.

SB19-010 passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on January 17, 2019 by a vote of 4-1. It later passed the Senate Appropriations Committee on March 19, 2019 by a vote of 7-3.

For more information on SB19-010, please visit https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb19-010. 

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