The bill establishes the Mental Health Intervention Team Program within the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, aimed at improving access to behavioral health services for K-12 students. Building on a previous pilot program, it seeks to foster collaboration among school districts, qualified schools, and mental health intervention team providers. Key objectives include identifying students needing mental health support, connecting families to resources, addressing staff shortages in mental health services, and providing year-round support. The bill outlines the roles of school liaisons, therapists, and case managers in implementing tailored mental health programs and establishes a funding mechanism through grants, requiring school districts to maintain separate accounting for program-related expenditures.

Additionally, the bill creates a Qualified School Mental Health Intervention Team Board responsible for overseeing the program's implementation and ensuring effective collaboration. The board will develop a funding allocation plan for qualified schools based on criteria such as student population size and demonstrated need for mental health support. Schools must submit proposals for funding, which the board will evaluate and recommend to the secretary, contingent on appropriations. The board will also ensure adherence to best practices in mental healthcare, provide resources and training, and submit an annual report on the program's progress to legislative committees starting in 2026. The act will take effect upon publication in the statute book.