MD HB1316

National Center for School Mental Health at University of Maryland School of Medicine must develop a youth-centric technology and social media resource guide for public school students in consultation with the State Department of Education, to be completed before the 2027-2028 school year

Guide must cover technology designed for or frequently used by children, including social media platforms, online games, AI products, e-commerce platforms, smartphones, laptops, and virtual communication platforms

Guide must include a service and product landscape review covering privacy/safety concerns, addictive qualities, potential harmful impacts (emotional, psychological, physical), and effects on academic growth for each technology

Center must complete a needs assessment by September 1, 2026, reviewing existing state and federal resources, current family education efforts on technology's mental health impact, and gaps in resources

Guide must be posted on Department of Education and county board websites before each school year beginning 2027-2028, distributed to all public schools and parent teacher organizations, written in plain English, and updated periodically