Delaware MH bills signed into law

Abstract

Delaware Gov. John Carney signed three pieces of legislation from House Speaker Valerie Longhurst aimed at improving mental health resources for Delawareans, Cape Gazette reported Aug. 22. The new laws, House Bill 3, House Bill 4 and House Substitute 2 for House Bill 160, will increase mental health resources for students and help more Delawareans access behavioral health care in their time of need. HB3 will help students prioritize their mental health by providing them with excused absences for mental or behavioral health reasons. HB4 will ensure that students have access to behavioral health support in their schools in the aftermath of a school‐connected traumatic event, defined as the death of any student, educator, administrator or other building employee of a public school or other traumatic event that affects a significant portion of the students of the school. The state Department of Education will also be responsible for covering the costs of grief counseling offered to students at the school for up to 45 days after a school‐connected event, with an option to renew for an additional 45 days. HB3 and HB4 are part of a larger package of bills known as the 2023 Delaware Behavioral Health Package. Collectively, the measures encompass a holistic approach to improving the way mental health care is delivered and addressed for children in Delaware. House Bill 160 will create a dedicated funding source for the state's new 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.