Senate enacts Millett bill to increase time school counselors and social workers spend with students

AUGUSTA — Legislation from Sen. Rebecca Millett, D-Cape Elizabeth, LD 247 “An Act To Increase the Amount of Time School Counselors and Social Workers Spend Providing Students Direct and Indirect Counseling,” was enacted in the Senate on Tuesday with a unanimous, bipartisan vote.

The bill would require that school counselors and social workers spend 80 percent of their time providing direct and indirect services to students.

“Students benefit from having school counselors and social workers actually providing the services they were hired for,” said Sen. Millett. “I’m glad my colleagues unanimously supported this bill to make this commonsense and important change.”

School counselors and social workers currently provide services in a wide range of areas that are not necessarily specific to the jobs for which they were hired. LD 247 makes sure school counselors and social workers have more time to focus on the jobs for which they were hired and support Maine students.

The bill now heads to Gov. Janet Mills who has 10 days to sign it, veto it, or let it become law without her signature.

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