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Minutes for HB2669 - Committee on Education
Short Title
Codifying the mental health intervention team program administered by the Kansas department for aging and disability services in state statute.
Minutes Content for Tue, Mar 19, 2024
Chair Baumgardner opened the hearing on HB2669.
Revisor Tamera Lawrence, Senior Assistant Revisor, The Office of the Revisor of Statutes, gave an overview of the bill. Discussion and questions followed. (Attachment 1)
Andy Brown, Deputy Secretary, Kansas Department for Aging & Disability Services, has witnessed firsthand the critical need for expanded mental health resources within our educational institutions and codifying the Mental Health Intervention Team (MHIT) program in statute. This bill represents a crucial step towards ensuring every student has access to the mental health services they require. The proposed funding will enable schools to work with CMHC's or other community providers to access additional counselors, psychologists, and social workers, expand mental health programming, and establish partnerships with community organizations to provide wraparound services. This investment in schools yields significant long-term benefits for both individuals and society as a whole. Addressing mental health concerns in schools fosters a positive and inclusive learning environment where all students feel valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential. Schools would have an unprecedented opportunity to transform the lives of countless young people and build healthier, more resilient communities for generations to come. (Attachment 2)
Kathy Mosher, Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and CEO of Family Service and Guidance Center (FSGC), explained FSGC is a Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) specializing in youth and families. MHIT uses very few state tax dollars since it does not fund the cost of the MHIT system, incentivizes cost effective partnerships between CMHCs and schools. MHIT teams and services are formed based on the needs of the school. Additional school based services are numerous and CMHC staff are trained in evidenced-based practices. MHIT staff intervened in 214 crisis situations so far this school year and FSGC diverted over 76% of hospitalizations and referrals for out-of-home placements in 2023. (Attachment 3)
Kyle Kessler, Executive Director, Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas. Sue Murnane, Youth Behavioral Health Services Manager, Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas testified on behalf of Kyle Kessler. This program was originally created by legislative proviso in 2018 with an intent to address challenges schools were experiencing through increases in students and families with mental health needs to eliminate barriers in accessing services. The proviso authorized school districts to enter into agreements with local community mental health centers and further provided finding for a database for students referred to the program to track outcomes.The partnership between the school and the CMHC creates a team approach to meeting the needs of the students served. The program design and staffing was explained, as was the roles and responsibilities for school-based staff and the CMHC staff. (Attachment 4)
Joan Tammey, Executive Director, COMCARE of Sedgwick County, stated the MHITs are a collaborative innovation between so many including schools and mental health centers, legislators and state departments and focuses on building resilient youth and emotional well-being. This program has demonstrated success and quality outcomes each and every year. Parents report resuming family activities that had stopped due to behavioral health issues. Youth who have lost siblings open up and start working through their grief. Youth who are depressed due to parental divorce or separation report increased energy and joy of simple things again. This is important and necessary work. (Attachment 5)
Sonja Bachus, CEO, Community Care Network of Kansas, said the clinics that make up the Community Care Network share a vision that all Kansans will be able to achieve and maintain their ideal health. This will only happen when all Kansans have access to high quality healthcare. Behavioral health services are becoming a more significant part of what our members do. Physical and behavioral health issues interact and this emphasizes the importance of addressing them simultaneously which improves both outcomes. The MHIT program reflects that same understanding and clinics support making it a permanent program. (Attachment 6)
Chuck Weber, Executive Director, Kansas Catholic Conference, said the grim reality is the collective state of mental health for Kansas, especially children, is in decline. Hospital emergency rooms are being flooded with pediatric cases on a daily basis covering mood disorders, anxiety disorders and behavioral and emotional disorders and more. During COVID, Kansas received large amount to money from the Federal Government with wide latitude in how it could be spent. A number of catholic schools directed this money to categories they not otherwise afford, including mental health services. Now, the funds will be exhausted by the end of this school year. But children are still in need of mental health services. This Legislature is designed to help fill in at least some of the gaps for mental health services for children. (Attachment 7)
Gabriela Raymundo, Social Worker, St. Patrick's Catholic School, stated that parents and students must have access to mental health support in a dad-to-day setting to create a mutual understanding between all involved parties. Mental health support is as important as ever, with students exposed to so much in the world such as social media, bullying, and much worse. Teachers and staff work tirelessly day in and day out to support all of their students. With the help of mental health providers who can take in students who are having issues unrelated to their studies that prevent them from learning, teachers can focus on delivering a proper education. (Attachment 8)
Randy Callstrom, President and CEO, Wyandote Behavioral Health Network, said Wyandote Behavioral Health Network (BHN) has long enjoyed a strong working relationship with the Kansas City Kansas School District. Through the MHIT program. They have formalized relationships and procedures and the therapists and case managers work hand in hand in hand with the school mental health liaisons to help students. Prior to working with MHIT and Wyandote BHN, Bonner Springs Schools would call the police when a student made statements about suicide or threatened to harm themself. Today, MHIT responds in the school to assess the student's risk and work with the family to help the youth access the level of care they need. Through December 2023, 231 students in the KCK School District have participated in the MHIT program. Of those, 42% have improved their school attendance; 51% have improved their externalizing or acting out behaviors, 40% have shown academic improvement; and 43% have improved their internalizing behaviors such as feelings of depression, anxiety, and thought of suicide. (Attachment 9)
Dawn Greene-Vaden, Certified Nurse Assistant at Zack Group, told of the trials the family experienced while the children were attending Holy Savior Catholic Academy and how everyone at Holy Savior became their family and helped during a crisis. Due to COVID-19, Holy Savior was able to partner with Children First CEO Kansas who provided social workers and a therapist to the school for mental health interventions. Children First worked with the children during this time has they learned and built relationships COVID took away. Classes supplied adults with classes on budgeting and life skills to help the family see a way out of poverty. (Attachment 10)
Dr. Jamie Finkeldei, Associate Superintendent, Catholic Diocese of Wichita, stated that schools reflect their community. Since COVID, student anxiety is up, depression is up, feelings of loneliness is up, and most tragically suicidal ideation is up. Much of the COVID funds was spent on social workers, counselors, and other therapists to the neediest schools. That money is coming to an end and schools have not succeeded in slowing the mental health crisis impacting students.Acknowledgement that in today's world, schools in center cities need more than just great teachers. Societal problems and traumatic life events are all too common and require schools to provide more tan just reading, writing, and arithmetic. Mental health professional are vital to the success of our students and families. (Attachment 11)
Discussion followed.
Proponent written only testimony was submitted by:
Timothy R. Graham, Director of Government Relations and Legislative Affairs, Kansas National Education Association (Attachment 12)
Heather Braum, Health Policy Advisor, Kansas Action for Children (Attachment 13)
Dr. Vincent Cascone, Superintendent of Schools, Catholic Schools Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas (Attachment 14)
Dr. Lorenzo Rizzi, Associate Superintendent-Student Services, Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas (Attachment 15)
Camille Straub, Principal, St. Patrick Catholic School-Wichita, Catholic Diocese of Wichita (Attachment 16)
Kylan Collins, Principal, St. Margaret Mary Catholic School, Wichita (Attachment 17)
Michelle Mead, Principal, St. Mary Catholic School, Diocese of Dodge City (Attachment 18)
Tammy Toney, Paraprofessional, All Saints Catholic School, Wichita (Attachment 19)
Alexandra Converse, Registered Nurse, All Saints Catholic School, Wichita (Attachment 20)
Gerry Hamilton, Principal, St. Anne Catholic School, Wichita (Attachment 21)
Jessica Rose, Fifth Grade Teacher, All Saints Catholic School, Wichita (Attachment 22)
Geoff Andrews, Superintendent of Schools, Catholic Diocese of Salina (Attachment 23)
The Chair closed the hearing.
The meeting was adjourned at 2:34 PM.
The next committee meeting will be held Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 1:30 PM in Room 144-S.
