AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 10, Chapter 7; Title 33 and Title 49, relative to mental health resource awareness.
HB2003, titled the School Mental Health Transparency Act, requires the Tennessee Department of Education to compile, maintain, and publish on its website a statewide list of mental health resources available to students. The list must identify, when applicable, the geographic location of each resource and any residency-based limits on access. In preparing the list, the department must consult with several state agencies and other relevant entities, including child services, health, mental health and substance abuse services, human services, TennCare, and the governor’s children’s cabinet.
The bill also requires each public school to review the statewide list and maintain its own list of mental health resources available to students enrolled in that school. Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, schools must provide that list at least once each school year to parents or guardians, or directly to students age 18 or older, and may do so electronically or through existing school communication systems. Schools must also post the list on their websites. The bill states that inclusion on any list does not constitute endorsement by the state, the Department of Education, or a public school, and it expressly says the act does not require new staffing, programs, or expenditures.
HB2003 would add a new section to Tennessee Code Annotated Title 49 governing school-related mental health resource information. It creates a statewide transparency and notification framework rather than a direct service mandate, and it places responsibilities on the Department of Education and local public schools to identify and distribute resource information. The bill affects public schools, parents and guardians, students, and state agencies that may be consulted in compiling the resource lists, while also clarifying that no new funding or staffing is required.
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be framed as a low-cost, informational school mental health initiative. Its stated purpose is to improve awareness and access to existing resources, and the bill’s language emphasizes that it does not create an endorsement or new spending obligation. No contrary sentiment is documented in the provided record.
The main potential points of contention are administrative burden and implementation scope. Local schools must review, maintain, and distribute resource lists, which could raise concerns about workload even though the bill says no new staffing or expenditures are required. Another possible issue is the accuracy and completeness of the lists, especially where resources have geographic or residency-based restrictions, and whether schools or the state may be seen as responsible for vetting outside providers. The bill also draws a line between information-sharing and endorsement, suggesting sensitivity to concerns about liability or perceived state approval of particular mental health providers.