HB 831 Summary

• Requires all private psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs) serving school-eligible children to maintain a facility-based school approved as a Nonpublic Exceptional Children's Program as a condition of licensure, with a six-month grace period for initial approval.

• Establishes that children in PRTFs are eligible for educational services and procedural safeguards under state and federal law, regardless of whether they meet the definition of a child with a disability.

• Mandates information sharing between PRTFs and school systems, including notification within three business days of admission/discharge and provision of individualized education programs and transition planning upon discharge.

• Allocates $1.6 million for fiscal year 2013-2014 and $3.2 million for fiscal year 2014-2015 from the Department of Public Instruction to the Department of Health and Human Services for educational services in PRTFs.

• Requires the State Board of Education and Department of Public Instruction to provide technical assistance, monitoring, and annual reports on educational services delivery in PRTFs, with authority for sanctions including license suspension or revocation for non-compliance.