Bill Summaries: S%20601 SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH.

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  • Summary date: Apr 5 2019 - View Summary

    Enacts new GS 115C-375.11 requiring the State Board of Education (Board) to adopt a school-based mental health policy that includes minimum requirements for a school-based mental health plan for public school units and a model mental health training program and model suicide risk referral protocol for public school units. Requires the model mental health training program to be provided to school personnel working with students in grades K-12 and requires that it address the five specified topics. Requires the model suicide risk referral protocol to be provided to school personnel working with students in grades 6-12 and to include guidelines on the identification of students at risk of suicide and procedures and referral sources that address actions that should be taken to address identified students. Requires each public school unit to adopt a plan for promoting student mental health and well-being that includes the minimum specified items. Also requires each public school unit to provide its adopted mental health training program and suicide risk referral protocol to school personnel for free. Requires employees to receive an initial mental health training of at least six hours and subsequent mental health trainings of at least two hours. Sets out additional requirements for the training including timing of training, and delivery of the training. Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction beginning August 1, 2025, and every five years thereafter, to review the minimum requirements for a school-based mental health plan, model mental health training program, and model suicide risk referral protocol and recommend any needed changes to the State Board of Education which must then update its policies to reflect those recommendations and publish the updates to public school units who must in turn updated their adopted mental health plan. Requires annual reports from each public school to the Department of Public Instruction on specified information about the mental health plan and compliance with the statute. The Department must report this information to the specified NCGA committees by December 15 of each year. Provides immunity from civil liability for the governing body of a public school unit, and its members, employees, designees, agents, or volunteers, for any loss or damage caused by any act or omission relating to the provision of, participation in, or implementation of any component of a school-based mental health plan, mental health training program, or suicide risk referral protocol required by this section, unless that act or omission amounts to gross negligence, wanton conduct, or intentional wrongdoing. 

    Amends GS 115C-218.75, GS 115C-238.66, GS 116-239.8, and GS 115C-75.9 to require charter schools, regional schools, laboratory schools, and innovative schools to adopt a school-based mental health plan, including mental health training program and suicide risk referral protocol in accordance with new GS 115C-375.11.

    Makes conforming changes.

    Requires the State Board to adopt a school-based mental health policy, including a model mental health training program and model suicide risk referral protocol, by December 1, 2019. Requires the policy and program to incorporate specified existing requirements. The Superintendent of Public Instruction must ensure that a copy of the school-based mental health policy adopted by the State Board in accordance with this act is made available to each public school unit by December 31, 2019. Requires each public school unit to adopt a school-based mental health plan by July 1, 2020.

    Requires school personnel to complete their initial mental health training by the end of the 2020-21 school year.