Our analysis of California's state department of education's Request for Proposals (RFP) for a project to "Build Collaboration for Mental Health Services in California Schools" leads us to underscore both the opportunity presented by the proposed work and the potential for serious unintended negative consequences. This brief is designed to share our analyses and to highlight what must be addressed when the project gets underway if it is to contribute significantly to a broad mental health agenda, while also improving schools and facilitating learning. Resources for Planning Mental Health in Schools Information Sheet is appended.