1. a. The Commissioner of Education, in full consultation with the Commissioner of Children and Families, shall establish the Student Wellness Grant Program. The purpose of the Student Wellness Grant Program shall be to provide grants that support school districts in implementing school-based programs and practices that promote mental wellness, social and emotional learning, and student resilience.

b. A grant awarded through the Student Wellness Grant Program shall be used to support school districts in:

(1) the provision of school-based mental health clinics or workshops for both students and families that engage the community on universal topics of student wellness and mental health;

(2) the implementation and coordination of policies, practices, and programs that support the mental, emotional, and social needs of students;

(3) the provision of mental health services on-site at the school to students in need of short-term counseling or crisis intervention focused on mental health or situational concerns, such as grief or family transitions, by a properly trained and licensed mental health professional; and

(4) the timely and appropriate referral of students in need of long-term therapeutic counseling or mental health intervention with available community resources.

L.2021, c.456, s.1.