Legislature(2021 - 2022)BUTROVICH 205
03/19/2021 09:00 AM Senate EDUCATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB20 | |
| SB80 | |
| SB72 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 72 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 20 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 80 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
SB 80-PUBLIC SCHOOLS: MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION
9:40:30 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 80 "An Act relating to mental
health education."
He noted that Senator Gray-Jackson had provided written
testimony to answer some questions from the committee.
9:40:50 AM
SENATOR ELVI GRAY-JACKSON, SB 80 sponsor, Alaska State
Legislature, thanked the chair for noting that she had responded
to the questions from the committee.
SENATOR BEGICH said he received a note with two suggestions from
the Suicide Prevention Council and Advisory Board on Alcoholism
and Drug Abuse, and the Alaska Mental Health Board. One
suggestion is that the language describing legislative intent
remove the named mental health organizations and instead use "in
consultation with the Department of Health and Social Services,
regional tribal health organizations, and representatives of
national and state mental health organizations." That intent is
to have a broad group without naming groups that may not always
be in existence. He asked if Senator Gray-Jackson is comfortable
with the suggestion.
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON answered that it is a good suggestion.
SENATOR BEGICH said that some stakeholders were confused between
the words standards and guidelines. They suggested changing that
to "health guidelines for instruction in mental health" and
"shall be developed in consultation with the Department of
Health and Social Services, regional tribal health
organizations, and representatives of national and state mental
health organizations" to be consistent.
9:43:13 AM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON replied that is another excellent
suggestion.
9:43:22 AM
At ease
9:43:58 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND moved to invited testimony on SB 80.
9:44:11 AM
JASON LESSARD, Executive Director, NAMI Anchorage, Anchorage,
Alaska, said he is on the governing board of Alaska Psychiatric
Institute, the suicide prevention coalition, and the adult
advisor of MHAT, Mental Health Advocacy Through Storytelling.
Mental health is health. While it is a simple and obvious
statement, it is still a struggle to incorporate that concept
into school curriculum. NAMI chapters, state and nationally, are
advocating for these updates to school standards, curriculum,
and guidelines. There is a whole lot of data that he could share
that is relevant, but he will focus on two data points. The
first is that one in five U.S. adults experience a mental
illness. He asked the committee to think about how common that
is, many students come from families where a loved one has a
mental illness. This is not just about students' mental health.
It is about evidence-based curriculum to discuss and demystify a
set of illnesses that affect 20 percent of the population. That
is just diagnosed mental illness. The next data point is that 50
percent of all lifetime mental illness begin by the age of 14,
75 percent by age 24. This is largely happening in the teen
brain, and it is vital to talk to them about it. That is why
this type of legislation and hopefully these types of changes to
curriculum statewide are critical. Early intervention is
critical. Giving students a better understanding of mental
illness and wellness, the language to talk about it safely, and
the understanding of how and where to find resources for
themselves, their peers or family is crucial. They learn to
talk about the topic in in an educated, evidence-based,
proactive, and caring way.
9:46:53 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND opened public testimony on SB 80.
9:47:08 AM
ZOE KAPLAN, Mental Health Advocacy Through Storytelling,
Anchorage, Alaska, said she is a cofounder of Mental Health
Advocacy Through Storytelling and testifying on her own behalf.
This bill entered the house last year as HB 181 and was
postponed because of COVID. Unfortunately, that is an apt
metaphor for the state's approach to mental health. Alaska has
often negated mental health legislation for things considered
more important in the moment when the safety and well-being of
youth should be prioritized. In 2019, 38 percent of Alaska youth
surveyed had a depressive episode, 21 percent made a suicide
plan, and 19.7 percent attempted suicide. These statistics are
repeated over and over because they are staggering and awful.
This bill was important last year and even more important now.
Many of her peers before COVID did not consider themselves to
have a mental health condition. Once isolated they experienced
depressive symptoms for the first time in their lives. They
didn't know how to reach out for help because have not received
any education or information about it. It will not be resolved
on its own when students return to school. Alaska students have
had struggles with mental health well before COVID and will well
after. The most responsible and necessary thing to do for the
safety and well-being of Alaska youth is to set standards for
mental health education. Mental health affects one in five. That
is a staggeringly large number.
9:49:54 AM
NATALIE FRASER, Mental Health Advocacy Through Storytelling,
Anchorage, Alaska, said that she is a cofounder of Mental Health
Advocacy Through Storytelling and is representing herself. She
deals with a mental health condition. Growing up she did not
have knowledge about depression and other mental health
conditions and neither did her family. Despite meeting every
health curriculum requirement, no one had ever had formal
education about mental health. She believed, like many others,
that mental illness was something that other people had. She
continued to believe that until she made an attempt on her own
life in high school. The knowledge that saved her life didn't
come from her classes, family, or her peers. It came through the
dedicated efforts of the suicide prevention program run by a
West High math teacher. Mental health education works but is
rare and not institutionalized. She is in college and wants to
be a doctor. Her life is full of passions and joy, but all that
was almost lost because she was not taught how to stay healthy.
She gave testimony last year about the importance of mental
health. The pandemic has reaffirmed that need over and over.
Every day as a student, advocate, and friend, she sees how
health curriculum fails students. Thousands of students are
going through the same struggles she did, uneducated, and she is
concerned that many of their outcomes will not be as positive.
The Alaska state education system taught her to communicate
ideas clearly. It taught her how to be a thoughtful and
concerned citizen. She asks the education system to teach one
more thing: mental health is health and should be treated as
such.
9:52:53 AM
NORM WOOTEN, Director of Advocacy, Association of Alaska School
Boards, Juneau, Alaska, said that the association supports SB
80. Students' mental health is critical to their well-being and
creates better student academic achievement.
9:53:39 AM
LISA PARADY, Ph.D., Executive Director, Alaska Council of School
Administrators, Juneau, Alaska, said the Alaska Council of
School Administrators has a joint position statement on social,
emotional, and mental health. Alaska students endure high rates
of trauma and adverse childhood experiences. Alaska has the
highest rates of attempted teen suicide in the nation. The
Alaska Council of School Administrators urges the state to
provide funding and resources so schools can partner with local
communities to implement comprehensive, culturally-responsive,
school-based mental health programs to foster the health and
development of all students. The Alaska Council of School
Administrators supports targeted funding to help schools recruit
and retain and increase student access to school counselors,
social workers, psychologists, nurses, and mental health
specialists and to provide additional professional development
to all staff to meet the increasing and diverse needs of all
students. This type of legislation moves the state in the right
director to support students in an evidence-based way.
9:55:26 AM
KATIE BOTZ, representing self, Juneau, Alaska, said that the
social isolation during COVID has been traumatic, especially
when students have an unsafe home environment. She is a school
bus driver and noticed fewer students even wanting to speak up
about their issues during the pandemic because they are unaware
of how to speak up. They don't know that it is okay to share
that they are having a difficult time. She asked the committee
to support SB 80 because she is a constituent with a major
depressive disorder and suffered during the pandemic. It is
difficult to deal with depression and mental health, especially
with the stigma regarding mental health.
9:57:43 AM
DEENA BISHOP, Ph.D., Superintendent, Anchorage School District,
Anchorage, Alaska, said that now is the time more than ever to
help Alaskan students through mental health literacy. Her
district is implementing a program regarding social/emotional
learning, which involves teaching skills that students and
adults need to be successful not only in school but at home,
community, and the workplace. As a minor adjustment to the
language, which is in line with Mr. Lessard's testimony, what is
desired for students is mental health literacy. Literacy is the
degree to which an individual has the capacity to obtain,
communicate, process, and understand basic information and
services to make appropriate decisions. Mental health literacy
can be used to guide this work. This definition not only
includes the knowledge and beliefs about mental health, but also
the promotion of mental health and is in line with the World
Health Organization's definition of mental health. Through SB
80, the state can articulate that mental health literacy is a
priority for students' education and all students in schools
will have the opportunity to become mental health literate.
Anchorage School District supports SB 80.
10:00:11 AM
CHAIR HOLLAND closed public testimony and held SB 80 in
committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 80 NASW Letter of Support.pdf |
SEDC 3/19/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 80 |
| SB 80 Fiscal Note.pdf |
SEDC 3/19/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 80 |
| SB020_versionB.pdf |
SEDC 3/19/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 20 |
| SB020_TeacherCert_Reciprocity_Presentation_ECS_19March2021.pdf |
SEDC 3/19/2021 9:00:00 AM SFIN 3/29/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 20 |
| SB020_TeacherCert_Reciprocity_Research_ECS_policy resources_19March2021.pdf |
SEDC 3/19/2021 9:00:00 AM SFIN 3/29/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 20 |
| SB80 Research.pdf |
SEDC 3/19/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 80 |
| SB072_Civics_BillText_versionB.pdf |
SEDC 3/19/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 72 |
| SB020_TeacherCert-Reciprocity_Summary-of-Changes_Version A to B.pdf |
SEDC 3/19/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 20 |
| SB072_Civics_Summary-of-Changes_Version A to B.pdf |
SEDC 3/19/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 72 |
| SB 80 ASD Mental Health and SEL Instruction.pdf |
SEDC 3/19/2021 9:00:00 AM |
SB 80 |