The bill enacts R.S. 17:416.24, which authorizes public schools in Louisiana to offer annual mental health screenings for students in grades K-12 during the first semester of the school year. Schools are required to notify parents or legal guardians about the screenings and obtain written consent before conducting them, unless the student is of majority age or an emancipated minor. The Louisiana Department of Health will provide appropriate mental health screening tools at no cost to the schools, and the results of these screenings will be kept confidential, only disclosed to the student or their guardians. Additionally, schools cannot use the results for decisions regarding student instruction or discipline, and there will be no legal liability for schools related to the screening outcomes.

Furthermore, the bill includes an insertion in R.S. 17:3996(B)(89), which specifies that charter schools are also required to comply with the mental health screening provisions outlined in R.S. 17:416.24. This ensures that both traditional public schools and charter schools are held to the same standards regarding mental health screenings, promoting a consistent approach to student mental health across different types of educational institutions in Louisiana.