00                            SENATE BILL NO. 197                                                                         
01 "An Act relating to mental health education."                                                                           
02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
03    * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section                          
04 to read:                                                                                                                
05 LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the legislature that the Board of Education                                     
06 and Early Development develop guidelines for instruction in mental health in consultation                               
07 with representatives of mental health organizations, including the National Council for                                 
08 Behavioral Health, Providence Health and Services Alaska, the Southcentral Foundation,                                  
09 Anchorage Community Mental Health Services, Inc., the North Star Behavioral Health                                      
10 System, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness Alaska.                                                             
11    * Sec. 2. AS 14.30.360(a) is amended to read:                                                                      
12 (a)  Each district in the state public school system shall be encouraged to                                             
13 initiate and conduct a program in health education for kindergarten through grade 12.                                   
14 The program should include instruction in [PHYSICAL] health and personal safety,                                    
15 including alcohol and drug abuse education, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR),                                        

01 early cancer prevention and detection, dental health, family health including infant                                    
02 care, environmental health, mental health, the identification and prevention of child                               
03 abuse, child abduction, neglect, sexual abuse, and domestic violence, and appropriate                                   
04       use of health services.                                                                                           
05    * Sec. 3. AS 14.30.360(b) is amended to read:                                                                      
06 (b)  The state board shall establish guidelines for a health and personal safety                                        
07 education program. Health guidelines must provide standards for instruction in                                      
08 mental health and shall be developed in consultation with the Department of                                         
09 Health and Social Services and representatives of national and state mental                                         
10 health organizations. Personal safety guidelines shall be developed in consultation                                 
11 with the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Upon request, the                                             
12 Department of Education and Early Development, the Department of Health and                                             
13 Social Services, and the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault shall                                          
14 provide technical assistance to school districts in the development of personal safety                                  
15 curricula. A school health education specialist position shall be established and funded                                
16 in the department to coordinate the program statewide. Adequate funds to enable                                         
17 curriculum and resource development, adequate consultation to school districts, and a                                   
18       program of teacher training in health and personal safety education shall be provided.