4. a. The Commissioner of Education shall develop a report, or contract with a research institution or organization to develop a report, evaluating depression screening programs in school districts participating in the Mental Health Screening in Schools Grant Program established pursuant to section 2 of this act as well as other school districts that have developed depression screening programs. In developing the report, the commissioner or contracted research organization or institution shall analyze the data forwarded to the Department of Education and the Department of Children and Families pursuant to subparagraph (g) of paragraph (1) of subsection b. of section 2 of this act. The study shall include information on:

(1) the costs of the programs to the districts and to parents or legal guardians of students, as well as any co-pays received by practitioners as part of the depression screening programs;

(2) the number of students identified as at risk of depression by the depression screenings in each district;

(3) the number of students who were provided mental health services as a result of the screenings;

(4) the number of students who were identified as needing follow-up services;

(5) the number of school staff members involved in the depression screening process and the time spent administering the screening;

(6) best practices utilized by the districts or mental health providers in implementing the depression screening programs;

(7) the health, academic, and safety benefits associated with establishing a depression screening program and an evaluation of any potential negative impacts on school districts and families that may be associated with implementing a depression screening program; and

(8) findings and recommendations concerning additional resources that may be necessary to screen adolescents for depression and to provide follow-up services to adolescents who have exhibited abnormalities in depression screenings.

b. Within 300 days following September 1 of the first full school year following the date of enactment, the report developed pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be submitted to the Department of Education, the Department of Health, the Department of Children and Families, the Joint Committee on the Public Schools, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C. 52:14-19.1).

L.2021, c.237, s.4.