§173.1. Mental health assessments
A. Each public school shall make available to each student in grades three through
twelve a mental health assessment by a licensed behavioral health provider, so long as it is
annually authorized by his parent or legal guardian. Such screening shall be offered within
the year, and, if feasible, during the first semester rather than the second semester of the
school year. Each public school principal or his designee may use discretion in determining
a convenient time for scheduling such assessments and an appropriate time and place to
conduct such assessments.
B. For the purposes of this Section, "licensed behavioral health provider" means an
individual or provider that falls into one of the following categories:
(1) A mental health professional with a current and valid occupational license issued
by a Louisiana professional occupational licensing board or commission under Title 37 of
the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, acting within the scope of practice authorized by the
licensing board to conduct mental health assessments.
(2) A behavioral health services provider with a current and valid license issued by
the Louisiana Department of Health pursuant to R.S. 40:2151 et seq. to provide mental health
services and assessments.
C. Public schools may locate a current list of licensed mental health professionals
who are authorized to conduct mental health assessments by contacting the individual
licensing boards who regulate the licensed professionals. Public schools may locate a current
list of behavioral health service providers licensed by the Louisiana Department of Health
through the Louisiana Department of Health's website.
D. The assessments provided for in this Section shall be provided to the appropriate
students at each public school at no cost to each city, parish, or other local public school
board.
E. Each public school shall annually report at the end of each school year the number
of screenings administered to students, by grade level, under its jurisdiction to the state
Department of Education.
Acts 2025, No. 504, §1.