IN SB0269

School corporations may establish voluntary youth peer support programs for students in grades 6-12, utilizing trained students with lived mental health and substance abuse experiences to provide non-clinical peer-to-peer support

Programs must be developed with local mental health organizations, use evidence-based training approved by the Department of Education, include written referral protocols, and provide ongoing supervision by qualified professionals

School corporations must offer voluntary, confidential online mental health screenings to students in grades 7, 9, and 11 at least once per school year, with results kept confidential and excluded from educational records

Creates a 14-member Commission on Youth Peer Advisory Support including Mental Health America representatives, students, parents, school mental health professionals, and crisis response organization representatives to provide recommendations on best practices

Effective July 1, 2026; requires participating school corporations to submit annual reports to the Department of Education on screening completions, referrals, and participation rates