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AB-58 Pupil health: suicide prevention policies and training.(2021-2022)



Current Version: 09/19/22 - Chaptered

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AB58:v94#DOCUMENT

Assembly Bill No. 58
CHAPTER 428

An act to amend Section 215 of the Education Code, relating to pupil health.

[ Approved by Governor  September 19, 2022. Filed with Secretary of State  September 19, 2022. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 58, Salas. Pupil health: suicide prevention policies and training.
Existing law requires the governing board or body of a county office of education, school district, state special school, or charter school that serves pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, to adopt a policy on pupil suicide prevention that specifically addresses, among other things, procedures relating to suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention, and any training on suicide awareness and prevention to be provided to teachers of pupils in all of the grades served by the local educational agency. Existing law requires the State Department of Education to develop and maintain a model policy in accordance with these provisions to serve as a guide for local educational agencies in developing policies for pupil suicide prevention.
This bill would require a local educational agency, on or before January 1, 2025, to review and update its policy on pupil suicide prevention, and revise its training materials, to incorporate best practices identified by the department in the department’s model policy. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would encourage a local educational agency, commencing with the 2024–25 school year, to provide suicide awareness and prevention training to teachers of pupils in all of the grades served by the local educational agency. The bill would require the department, on or before June 1, 2024, to complete the development of, and issue to local educational agencies, resources and guidance on how to conduct suicide awareness and prevention training remotely.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 215 of the Education Code is amended to read:

215.
 (a) (1) The governing board or body of a local educational agency that serves pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, shall, before the beginning of the 2017–18 school year, adopt, at a regularly scheduled meeting, a policy on pupil suicide prevention in grades 7 to 12, inclusive. The policy shall be developed in consultation with school and community stakeholders, school-employed mental health professionals, and suicide prevention experts and shall, at a minimum, address procedures relating to suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.
(2) (A) The governing board or body of a local educational agency that serves pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 6, inclusive, shall, before the beginning of the 2020–21 school year, adopt, at a regularly scheduled meeting, a policy on pupil suicide prevention in kindergarten and grades 1 to 6, inclusive. The policy shall be developed in consultation with school and community stakeholders, the county mental health plan, school-employed mental health professionals, and suicide prevention experts and shall, at a minimum, address procedures relating to suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.
(B) The policy for pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 6, inclusive, shall be age appropriate and shall be delivered and discussed in a manner that is sensitive to the needs of young pupils.
(C) The policy for pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 6, inclusive, shall be written to ensure proper coordination and consultation with the county mental health plan if a referral is made for mental health or related services on behalf of a pupil who is a Medi-Cal beneficiary.
(3) The policy shall specifically address the needs of high-risk groups, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) Youth bereaved by suicide.
(B) Youth with disabilities, mental illness, or substance use disorders.
(C) Youth experiencing homelessness or youth in out-of-home settings, such as foster care.
(D) Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning youth.
(4) (A) The policy shall also address any training on suicide awareness and prevention to be provided to teachers of pupils in all of the grades served by the local educational agency.
(B) Materials approved by a local educational agency for training shall include how to identify appropriate mental health services, both at the schoolsite and within the larger community, and when and how to refer youth and their families to those services.
(C) Materials approved for training may also include programs that can be completed through self-review of suitable suicide prevention materials.
(D) On or before January 1, 2025, a local educational agency shall revise its training materials to incorporate best practices identified by the department in the department’s model policy.
(E) Commencing with the 2024–25 school year, local educational agencies are encouraged to provide suicide awareness and prevention training to teachers of pupils in all of the grades served by the local educational agency.
(5) The policy shall be written to ensure that a school employee acts only within the authorization and scope of the employee’s credential or license. Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing or encouraging a school employee to diagnose or treat mental illness unless the employee is specifically licensed and employed to do so.
(6) (A) To assist local educational agencies in developing policies for pupil suicide prevention, the department shall develop and maintain a model policy in accordance with this section to serve as a guide for local educational agencies.
(B) On or before June 1, 2024, the department shall complete the development of, and issue to local educational agencies, resources and guidance on how to conduct suicide awareness and prevention training remotely.
(b) (1) The governing board or body of a local educational agency that serves pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, shall review, at minimum every fifth year, its policy on pupil suicide prevention and, if necessary, update its policy.
(2) Nothing in this section shall prevent the governing board or body of a local educational agency from reviewing or updating its policy on pupil suicide prevention more frequently than every fifth year.
(3) On or before January 1, 2025, the governing board or body of a local educational agency that serves pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, shall review and update its policy on pupil suicide prevention to incorporate best practices identified by the department in the department’s model policy.
(c) For purposes of this section, “local educational agency” means a county office of education, school district, state special school, or charter school.

SEC. 2.

 If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.