NJ Senate Committee Approves School Safety and Therapy Dog Programs for State Districts

The Senate Education Committee advanced two bills from Senator James Beach. Both would launch pilot programs through the New Jersey Department of Education.

S-569 establishes a three-year County-Based Security Pilot Program in Essex, Mercer, and Camden counties. It brings security infrastructure and mental health services to public schools across these areas.

“Tragically, no community is immune to the threat of gun violence and nowhere is the prospect of an active shooter event more terrifying than in our schools,” Beach said, according to NJSENDems.org. “This legislation creates a multi-pronged school security infrastructure pilot program that will combine training, security equipment, and mental health crisis intervention in order to proactively protect students in our public schools.”

Four state leaders will collaborate on this initiative. The Commissioner of Education teams up with the Commissioner of Human Services, the Commissioner of Children and Families, and the Director of the State Office of Emergency Management. Together, they’ll build the framework.

Mental health support will span individual sessions, group clinical services, referrals to outside providers, screenings, and crisis response. Evidence-based methods guide all interventions.

School districts within pilot counties gain access to active shooter training and protective gear. The commissioner selects districts by analyzing security needs. Data comes from the annual report on violence, vandalism, and harassment in schools.

Three reports go to the Governor and Legislature. The first arrives within one year of launch. Two more follow in subsequent years. Each contains implementation details, mental health service evaluations, and suggestions for continuing or modifying the program.

S-3453 creates a different three-year pilot. This one examines how therapy dogs affect academics and health in public elementary school wellness programs.

Districts must apply to participate. Applications include the number of elementary schools, student enrollment figures, wellness program participation data, and specific plans for therapy dog integration.

“Research indicates that therapy dogs improve student confidence, motivation, and even school attendance, often leading to improved academic success,” Beach said. “As schools continue to search for ways to address student mental health and learning challenges, this program will bolster existing student programs, create new learning opportunities, and provide participating school districts with guidance on implementing and evaluating their programs in order to maximize outcomes.”

Six districts total will participate — two from the southern region, two from the central area, and two from the north. The commissioner makes all selections. The DOE must submit an evaluation report by June 30 of the third school year after the program starts.

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