SB 24: "An Act relating to mental health education; and providing for an effective date."
00 SENATE BILL NO. 24 01 "An Act relating to mental health education; and providing for an effective date." 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 the Department of Health, the Department of Family and Community Services, regional 08 tribal health organizations, and representatives of national and state mental health 09 organizations. 10 * Sec. 2. AS 14.30.360(a) is amended to read: 11 (a) Each district in the state public school system shall be encouraged to 12 initiate and conduct a program in health education for kindergarten through grade 12. 13 The program should include instruction in [PHYSICAL] health and personal safety 14 including alcohol and drug abuse education, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), 15 early cancer prevention and detection, dental health, family health including infant
01 care, environmental health, mental health, physical health, the identification and 02 prevention of child abuse, child abduction, neglect, sexual abuse, and domestic 03 violence, and appropriate use of health services. 04 * Sec. 3. AS 14.30.360(b) is amended to read: 05 (b) The state board shall establish guidelines for a health and personal safety 06 education program, including guidelines for developmentally appropriate 07 instruction in mental health. In developing guidelines for developmentally 08 appropriate instruction in mental health, the state board shall consult with the 09 Department of Health, the Department of Family and Community Services, 10 regional tribal health organizations, and representatives of national and state 11 mental health organizations. Personal safety guidelines shall be developed in 12 consultation with the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Upon 13 request, the Department of Education and Early Development, the Department of 14 Health, the Department of Family and Community Services, and the Council on 15 Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault shall provide technical assistance to school 16 districts in the development of personal safety curricula. A school health education 17 specialist position shall be established and funded in the department to coordinate the 18 program statewide. Adequate funds to enable curriculum and resource development, 19 adequate consultation to school districts, and a program of teacher training in health 20 and personal safety education shall be provided. 21 * Sec. 4. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 22 read: 23 REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE. Two years after the effective date of this Act, the 24 state Board of Education and Early Development shall submit a report to the senate secretary 25 and chief clerk of the house of representatives and notify the legislature that the report is 26 available. The report must 27 (1) include a copy of the guidelines for developmentally appropriate 28 instruction in mental health developed by the state Board of Education and Early 29 Development as required under AS 14.30.360(b), as amended by sec. 3 of this Act; and 30 (2) describe the process the state Board of Education and Early Development 31 used to develop the guidelines.
01 * Sec. 5. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 02 read: 03 TRANSITION. The state Board of Education and Early Development shall develop 04 the mental health guidelines required by AS 14.30.360(b), as amended by sec. 3 of this Act, 05 within two years after the effective date of this Act. 06 * Sec. 6. This Act takes effect July 1, 2023.