School Health and Wellness Personnel Assessment and Maryland Council on Advancement of School-Based Health Centers
Summary
HB672 requires the Maryland Department of Health and the State Department of Education to jointly conduct an annual assessment of the state’s school health and wellness personnel workforce. The assessment must measure ratios of personnel to students and schools by jurisdiction, collect vacancy-rate information from local school systems and local health departments, and gather stakeholder feedback on recruitment and retention strategies. The bill defines school health and wellness personnel broadly to include counselors, dental hygienists, occupational therapists and assistants, physical therapists, school counselors, school nurses, school psychologists, school social workers, and speech-language pathologists.
The bill also expands the Maryland Council on Advancement of School-Based Health Centers by increasing its voting membership from 15 to 16 and adding a school nurse nominated by the Maryland Association of School Health Nurses. It requires the two state departments to report the assessment findings to the General Assembly and publish the report on their websites beginning December 1, 2027, and annually thereafter. The act takes effect October 1, 2025.
Impact
HB672 adds a new subtitle to the Health-General Article establishing a recurring statewide workforce assessment for school health and wellness personnel and imposes annual reporting obligations on the Department of Health and the State Department of Education. It also amends the membership structure of the Maryland Council on Advancement of School-Based Health Centers by adding a school nurse as a voting member, thereby affecting the composition of a state advisory body and broadening representation from school health professionals.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been generally well received, as reflected by its passage in both chambers with substantial majorities. The House passed it 101-37 and the Senate passed it 33-13, indicating overall support for the goal of improving school health staffing data and strengthening school-based health center policy. The absence of committee transcript material limits more detailed insight into debate, but the voting margins suggest the measure was viewed favorably by most legislators.
Contention
The main points of contention likely centered on the bill’s policy emphasis and administrative burden: requiring two state agencies to conduct an annual assessment, collect vacancy and stakeholder data, and produce recurring reports may have raised concerns about workload, cost, or duplication. Any opposition also likely reflected broader disagreements about expanding state involvement in school health staffing oversight. The addition of a school nurse to the council was a targeted change and does not appear to have been a major source of controversy, though it may have been intended to address representation concerns from school health professionals.