Provides $100,000 to support the mental health and emotional well-being of children in OST settings.

Rhode Island Senate Bill Summary

This bill would provide $100,000 in state funding to support the mental health and emotional well-being of children in out-of-school time (OST) settings. "Out-of-school time" refers to programs that serve children outside of regular school hours, such as after-school programs, before-school care, and summer programs.

The funding would be directed through Rhode Island's Building Opportunities in Out-of-School Time initiative, which supports these types of community-based programs across the state. The money is intended to help OST programs better address children's mental and emotional health needs — for example, by providing trained staff, resources, or services that help kids manage stress, build social skills, and maintain emotional well-being in a non-school environment.

This bill would primarily affect children who participate in after-school and similar programs, as well as the organizations and staff that run those programs. Families who rely on OST programs — particularly working parents who depend on after-school care — could also benefit if these programs become better equipped to support their children's overall well-being. The bill has been introduced and referred to the Senate Finance Committee, where lawmakers will review the funding request before deciding whether to move it forward.