In addition to preparing students for post-secondary career and life success, public schools also play a role in preparing students for adversity through fire, natural disaster, and security drills. While such drills better equip our children to respond to some emergencies, they do not prepare them for medical emergencies in which an adult is unresponsive or not present.

When a teacher has a medical emergency in the classroom and is unresponsive, or when the same happens to a student in the absence of an adult, school children currently do not have a protocol to ensure that these teachers or students get the help they need. In a medical emergency, when seconds count, having a plan in place to alert responsible individuals can mean the difference between life and death.

Recently, a student in my district brought this problem to my attention, prompted by her own experience. Working with her and other key stakeholders, I will be introducing legislation that would require schools to conduct annual medical emergency response drills to help our children gain developmentally-appropriate tools and practice in protocols, such as finding a classroom phone, contacting the school nurse, or otherwise alerting an adult that medical attention is needed.

This legislation would reduce the costs associated with become a certified school counselor, social worker, psychologist, or nurse in Pennsylvania schools.
 
At my recent Senate Democratic Policy Hearing on school staffing shortages, I heard testimony that school staff regularly juggle multiple jobs to pay down their debt – or too often, end up leaving the profession. I also heard about the desperate need for more school-based mental health professionals – something students regularly share with me as a top priority for them as well.
 
Unfortunately, for aspiring professional in these fields, it often costs more to work in schools than it does in other settings. For example, school psychologists must intern 1200 hours in schools while earning their degree. Other school-based mental health professionals have similar internship requirements. This on-the-ground training is vital preparation for working in schools but typically is unpaid and comes on top of other higher education expenses.  We should be incentivizing these professionals to work in schools, not deterring them.
 
Based off a successful program in Ohio, my bill would enable districts to pay prospective school counselors, social workers, psychologists, and nurses a stipend during their internships. This will lower the barrier to becoming a school-based mental health professional and increase the number of caring adults in schools to support students now.