AB 8

Bill Subjects

Abstract

(1) Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to give diligent care to the health and physical development of pupils and authorizes the governing board of a school district to employ properly certified persons for the work. Existing law requires a school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school to notify pupils and parents or guardians of pupils no less than twice during the school year on how to initiate access to available pupil mental health services on campus or in the community, or both, as provided. Existing law requires, subject to sufficient funds being provided, the State Department of Education, in consultation with the State Department of Health Care Services and appropriate stakeholders, to, on or before July 1, 2020, develop guidelines for the use of telehealth technology in public schools, including charter schools, to provide mental health and behavioral health services to pupils on school campuses. This bill would require, on or before December 31, 2024, a school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school to have at least one mental health professional, as defined, for every 600 pupils generally accessible to pupils on campus during school hours. The bill would require, on or before December 31, 2024, a school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school with fewer than 600 pupils to have at least one mental health professional generally accessible to pupils on campus during school hours, to employ at least one mental health professional to serve multiple schools, or to enter into a memorandum of understanding with a county agency or community-based organization for at least one mental health professional employed by the agency or organization to provide services to pupils. The bill would encourage a school subject to the bill's provisions with pupils who are eligible to receive Medi-Cal benefits to seek reimbursement for costs of implementing the bill's provisions, as specified. By imposing additional requirements on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) The Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) , an initiative statute enacted by the voters as Proposition 63 at the November 2, 2004, statewide general election, establishes the continuously appropriated Mental Health Services Fund to fund various county mental health programs, such as prevention and early intervention programs. Existing law authorizes the act to be amended by a 23 vote of the Legislature if the amendments are consistent with, and further the intent of, the act. This bill would amend the act to require a county to provide ongoing prevention and early intervention funds under MHSA to a school district, county office of education, or charter school, within the county, for purposes of funding positions and services to fulfill the bill's requirements. The bill would declare that this amendment is consistent with, and furthers the purposes of, the act. (3) 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.