§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.