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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 9, 2024 12:52 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Wayne Langerholc, Jr. |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Requiring Parental Consent for School Based Web Counseling Services |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation to require parental consent for students to use school based web counseling services. At the beginning of each school year parental consent is required for participation in various activities or benefits. This legislation will add one additional element of consent pertaining to web based counseling services only. In-person counseling provided via school entity will be unaffected. In 2022, the Department of Human Services awarded a $3 million contract to provide virtual school based mental health services to students in the Commonwealth. The contract and subsequent implementation did not address or deal with specific issues involving parental rights, proper safeguards, notice and a myriad of other social issues. Our youth face a tremendous mental health crisis and need the proper tools to help them deal with these issues. While evolving technology can be a tremendous asset to aid this crisis, it must be tempered with appropriate safeguards, parental consent, and awareness. Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as SB913