An Act Concerning The Secure Transmission Of Minor Patient Safety Plans To Schools By Health Care Providers.
Summary
HB 7158 requires health care providers who create a safety plan for a minor patient to review that plan with the minor and, with the required written consent, securely transmit it to the school nurse or nurse practitioner designated by the school. The bill defines a safety plan as a written document developed collaboratively to help a patient manage or prevent a mental health crisis. For minors age 16 or older, the minor may provide the written consent; for younger minors, consent must come from a parent or other legally authorized representative.
The bill also requires providers of inpatient behavioral health treatment to a minor for more than 14 consecutive days to begin developing a discharge plan once the patient starts improving. That discharge plan must be developed with the minor, the parent or legally authorized representative, and, if consent is obtained, school personnel such as a school nurse, counselor, social worker, or administrator, as well as any provider who will continue care after discharge. In addition, the Department of Education and the Department of Public Health must create and distribute a list of hospitals and other providers offering inpatient behavioral health services, and school nurses and nurse practitioners must provide contact information to those providers so safety plans can be sent securely.
Impact
The bill creates new statutory requirements for health care providers, schools, and state agencies regarding the handling of minor behavioral health safety plans and discharge planning. It adds a new section to the general statutes effective July 1, 2025, and directs the Department of Education and the Department of Public Health to coordinate on a statewide provider list effective immediately upon passage. The measure affects HIPAA-compliant information sharing, school health staff responsibilities, and inpatient behavioral health discharge practices for minors.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have generally favorable support, as reflected by its Joint Favorable Substitute status in committee and its passage in the House by a substantial margin. The vote totals suggest broad agreement on improving coordination between behavioral health providers and schools for minor patients. At the same time, the recorded opposition indicates some concern remained, likely around privacy, consent, and the role of schools in receiving sensitive mental health information.
Contention
The main points of contention are likely the privacy and consent provisions, especially the transmission of a minor’s safety plan to school personnel and the circumstances under which a minor age 16 or older may consent on their own. Another area of sensitivity is the requirement that inpatient discharge planning include school representatives and outside providers, which may raise questions about confidentiality, administrative burden, and the appropriate scope of school involvement in clinical care. The opposition in the House vote suggests some legislators were not fully comfortable with these information-sharing and coordination mandates.