RI H7501

Creates Chapter 117 ("Building Opportunities in Out-of-School Time") under Rhode Island's education law, allocating $100,000 in the fiscal year 2026–2027 budget for competitive grants to community-based or school-affiliated out-of-school time (OST) programs serving K-12 students.

Allowable uses of funds include mental health first aid training, trauma-informed practices, peer support and mentoring programs, social-emotional learning curricula, wellness workshops, and culturally responsive approaches to youth mental health prevention and early identification.

Funds shall be administered by the appropriate state agency or a designated statewide intermediary, ideally the Rhode Island Afterschool Network, through a competitive grant process that prioritizes programs serving youth with high demonstrated need and ensures geographic diversity across urban, suburban, and rural communities.

Requires the administering entity to submit an annual report to the General Assembly detailing the number of OST programs and youth served, geographic distribution of funded programs, and a summary of activities and observed outcomes.

The act would take effect upon passage, responding to the April 2022 declared State of Emergency in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and reductions in federal funding for schools and student support services.