§ 17:416.24 — Mental health screenings

Louisiana § 17:416.24

• Jurisdiction: Louisiana
• Title 17: Credit Union Law

Text

§416.24. Mental health screenings
A. Each city, parish, or other local public school board may offer mental health
screenings for all students in grades kindergarten through twelve during the first semester of
the school year. If a board offers such screenings, each school under its jurisdiction shall
comply with the provisions of this Section relative to the administration of such screenings.
B. The school shall notify the parent or legal guardian of each student that screenings
are being offered and shall give the parent or legal guardian the option to consent in writing
to the screening. A school shall not conduct a mental health screening on a student whose
parent or legal guardian has not consented to the screening, unless the student has reached
the age of majority or is an emancipated minor and independently consents in writing to the
screening. The school shall identify the screening tool being used and include this
information on the parental consent form with information on how to access the tool on the
school or district's website.
C. If the results of a student's screening indicate a potential mental health condition,
the school shall notify the student's parent, legal guardian, or the student if he has reached
the age of majority or is an emancipated minor of the results and provide a list of resources
available to the student in the school or community.
D. The Louisiana Department of Health shall select mental health screening tools
appropriate to the provisions of this Section and provide such tools at no cost to each city,
parish, and other local public school board.
E. Results of the screenings shall be confidential and shall not be subject to
disclosure except to the student's parent, legal guardian, or the student if he has reached the
age of majority or is an emancipated minor. Within thirty days following notification of the
parent, legal guardian, or the student if he has reached the age of majority or is an
emancipated minor, the mental health screening data collected by a school shall be destroyed.
No school or vendor shall collect metadata when conducting such screenings.
F. No city, parish, or other local public school board shall use the results of any
mental health screening to make any decision relating to student instruction, academic
opportunities, or discipline.
G. There shall be no cause of action against the public school governing authority,
or any employee thereof, related to the results of the screening provided for in this Section.
H. The provisions of this Section are subject to the approval and funding by the
school board of a city, parish, or other local public school system.

Legislative History

Acts 2025, No. 469, §1.