North Carolina is presenting a draft school mental health policy for discussion that aims to promote mental health and wellness for students. The policy would require local school mental health plans that include universal prevention through instruction and curriculum, early intervention as part of the student support system, and protocols for referral, treatment, and re-entry. It also establishes requirements for MOUs, suicide risk protocols, training programs, and annual reporting and review cycles. The overall goal is to connect mental health support for students to the state board of education's strategic plan and build on prior initiatives and ongoing work between the department of public instruction and state legislature.