49428.5.
(a) The department shall identify an evidence-based training program for a local educational agency to use to train classified and certificated school employees having direct contact with pupils in youth mental and behavioral health.(b) In identifying an evidence-based training program pursuant to subdivision (a), the department shall ensure that the training program meets all of the following requirements:
(1) Is a peer-reviewed evidence-based training program.
(2) Provides instruction on recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental illness and substance use disorders, including common psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major clinical depression, and anxiety disorders, and common substance use disorders such as opioid and alcohol abuse.
(3) Provides instruction on how school staff can best provide referrals to mental health services, substance use disorder services, or other support to individuals in the early stages of developing a mental illness or substance use disorder.
(4) Provides instruction on how to maintain pupil privacy and confidentiality in a manner consistent with federal and state privacy laws.
(5) Ensures the safe deescalation of crisis situations involving individuals with a mental illness.
(6) Is capable of assessing trainee knowledge before and after training is provided in order to measure training outcomes.
(7) Is administered by a nationally recognized nonprofit training authority in mental illness and substance use disorders.
(8) (A) Includes in-person training with certified instructors who can recommend resources available in the community for individuals with a mental illness or substance use disorder.
(B) For purposes of this paragraph, “certified instructors” means individuals who obtain or have obtained a certification to provide the selected training in mental illness and substance use disorders by a nationally recognized authority in behavioral health training programs.
(c) On or before January 1, 2023, a local educational agency shall certify to the department that at least 10 percent of its classified employees and at least 10 percent of its certificated employees having direct contact with pupils at each schoolsite, or at least two classified and at least two certificated employees having direct contact with pupils at each schoolsite, whichever is greater, have received the youth mental and behavioral health training identified pursuant to subdivision (a).
(d) (1) A local educational agency shall provide the youth mental and behavioral health training identified pursuant to subdivision (a) to certificated and classified employees during regularly scheduled work hours.
(2) If a certificated or classified employee receives the youth mental and behavioral health training in a manner other than through an in-service training program provided by the local educational agency, the employee may present a certificate of successful completion of the training to the local educational agency for purposes of satisfying the requirements of subdivision (c).
(3) Training in youth mental and behavioral health shall not be a condition of employment or hiring for classified or certificated employees.
(e) For purposes of this section, “local educational agency” means a county office of education, school district, state special school, or charter school that serves pupils in any of grades 7 to 12, inclusive.
(f) This section shall be implemented only to the extent an appropriation is made in the annual Budget Act or another statute for these purposes.