DE HB35

Establishes a Behavioral Health Professional of the Year Awards program to recognize outstanding school-based behavioral health professionals including counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and school nurses.

Each school district conducts annual selection of a district Behavioral Health Professional of the Year, with one representative selected from charter schools statewide and one overall state-level winner.

District-level award recipients receive $2,000, while the state-level winner receives an additional $3,000 on top of the district award.

Creates a $5,000 special fund per award recipient (separate from direct cash awards) that may be used for educational purposes including materials, equipment, professional development, and personal reimbursements up to $500.

Award amounts are added to recipients' final year salary for pension calculation purposes, and all purchased materials become property of the employing school district.