NJ S1466

Establishes a Train the Trainer Program for Student Wellbeing within the Department of Education to educate participants on leading courses for public school teachers and staff about student behavioral and mental health

Program curriculum covers trauma-informed approaches, recognizing signs of mental health challenges and substance use disorders, restorative practices, crisis de-escalation, positive bystander behavior, and connecting students to appropriate resources

Department of Education may contract with external organizations experienced in evidence-based youth mental health training programs and train-the-trainer models

School district participation in the program is voluntary, not mandatory

Appropriates $1,000,000 from the General Fund and requires the Commissioner of Education to annually evaluate program effectiveness, with a formal report to the Governor and Legislature due three years after implementation