Bill Aims to Improve Mental Health for School Employees

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Mark Vancuren, R-Owasso, today secured passage of a bill that would make an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) available for school employees, mirroring what is currently available to all state employees.

House Bill 4109 would create an Education EAP within the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

“The goal of this legislation is to promote positive mental health for all of our school employees,” Vancuren said. “Educators deal with a number of stressful scenarios during the course of their work, and having better mental health support will not only benefit them personally but also the students and the families they serve.”

Vancuren said the program would give educators access to numerous mental health programs and services that are currently available to other state employees.
Programs available through an EAP could include:

•  Utilizing certified behavioral health case managers to connect and refer clients to in-network health care providers and wellness programs;
• Short-term interventions for mental health and/or substance use issues, as well as for emotional health, gambling, marital, family relations, financial and work-related issues, stress, grief, loss or other personal problems;
• Education and training on an individual and organizational basis on topics including mental health in the workplace and suicide prevention;
• Wellness coaching on tobacco cessation, worksite wellness, self-care, etc.;
• Critical incident debriefing and efforts to respond to and provide support after a traumatic event; and
• Programs that connect employees to support and peer groups.

HB4109 now moves to the state Senate where it authored by Sen. John Haste, R-Broken Arrow.

Mark Vancuren serves District 74 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes parts of Rogers and Tulsa counties.