Legislature(2023 - 2024)BUTROVICH 205
03/23/2023 03:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB24 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 24 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SB 24-PUBLIC SCHOOLS: MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION
3:31:19 PM
CHAIR WILSON announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 24
"An Act relating to mental health education; and providing for
an effective date."
He stated that this is the first hearing and the intention is to
hear the introduction and sectional analysis followed by invited
and public testimony.
3:31:46 PM
SENATOR ELVI GRAY-JACKSON, District G, Alaska State Legislature,
Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of SB 24, introduced the legislation by
reading the sponsor statement:
SB 24 amends the existing health education curriculum
statute to include mental health curriculum in all K-
12 health classrooms to adequately educate students on
vital information pertaining to mental health
symptoms, resources, and treatment.
The Alaska State Board of Education and Early
Development and the Alaska Department of Education and
Early Development (DEED) will develop guidelines for
instruction in mental health in consultation with
numerous stakeholders. Such organizations include, but
are not limited to the National Council for Behavioral
Health, Providence Health and Services Alaska,
Southcentral Foundation, Anchorage Community Mental
Health Services, Inc., North Star Behavioral Health
System, and the National Alliance on Mental Health
Illness Alaska. The standards will be developed in
consultation with counselors, educators, students,
administrators, and other mental health organizations
to form effective guidelines for school boards,
teachers, and students.
After standards have been developed, the Alaska State
Board of Education and Early Development and DEED will
be responsible for implementation throughout the
Alaska school system. As with existing health
education curriculum, the DEED, the Department of
Health, and the Council on Domestic Violence and
Sexual Assault will provide technical assistance to
school districts in the development of personal safety
curricula. An existing school health education
specialist position will assist in coordinating the
program statewide.
SB 24 aims to decrease the stigma surrounding mental
illnesses and increase students' knowledge of mental
health, encouraging conversation around and
understanding of the issue.
3:34:11 PM
BESSE ODOM, Staff, Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, read the sectional analysis for SB
24:
Section 1: The uncodified law of the State of Alaska
is amended by adding a new section to read Legislative
Intent. This section specifies what entities will
develop guidelines for instruction in mental health.
Section 2: This section amends AS 14.30.360(a) by
removing the word "physical" when referencing
instruction for health education and adding "mental
health" and "physical health" to the list of
curriculum items each district includes in their
health education programs.
Section 3: This section amends AS 14.30.360(b) by
clarifying that health guidelines developed by the
Board of Education and Early Development must provide
standards for instruction in mental health and be
developed in consultation with the Department and
other entities.
Section 4: The uncodified law of the State of Alaska
is amended by adding a new section to read Report to
the Legislature. This section clarifies that a report
must be given to the Senate Secretary and Chief Clerk
of the House of Representatives. This report should
include a copy of developmentally appropriate
instruction and describe the process used to develop
such guidelines.
Section 5: The uncodified law of the State of Alaska
is amended by adding a new section to read Transition.
Specifically, the section requires that the state
Board of Education and Early Development shall develop
the mental health guidelines within two years after
the effective day of this Act.
Section 6: This section sets an effective date of July
1, 2023
3:36:20 PM
CHAIR WILSON discerned there were no questions and moved to
invited testimony.
3:36:39 PM
ANN RINGSTAD, Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental
Illness (NAMI) Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska, testified by
invitation in support of SB 24. She stated that NAMI was created
in 1984 and has affiliates in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, and
the North Slope. Its mission is to eliminate the stigma of
mental illness through advocacy, education, support, and public
awareness so all individuals and families that are affected by
mental illness are able to build better lives.
She thanked the sponsor for introducing SB 24 which seeks to
reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness by increasing
students' knowledge and encouraging conversations about mental
health. She reported that one in six youths ages 6-17
experiences a mental health condition in any given year; half of
all mental health conditions begin by age 14; and one in three
youths experience mental health challenges by age 18. Education,
early recognition and intervention, and prevention are keys to
minimizing the prevalence of mental health issues in youths. She
emphasized that these conditions are treatable and the people
experiencing mental health challenges need support, compassion,
and care. Disseminating accurate information in school will
increase the likelihood that children and teens experiencing
mental illness will be accepted by their peers. Addressing
mental health issues early improves the odds of good outcomes.
She opined that strengthening the existing mental health
guidelines, in consultation with the stakeholders the sponsor
mentioned, will guide school districts to educate students to
recognize the warning signs of mental distress and know how to
get help. Teachers and counselors are in a frontline position to
recognize subtle changes in students' behavior, sometimes more
quickly than parents. She said it is now more important than
ever to talk openly and provide guidance for everyone who is
impacted by mental health issues, but youth in particular. She
thanked the committee for considering this important
legislation.
SENATOR TOBIN joined the committee.
3:40:55 PM
JASON LESSARD, Youth Mental Health Advocate, Anchorage, Alaska,
testified by invitation in support of SB 24. He stated that for
the last four years he had been working directly with high
school students in the Mental Health Advocacy Through
Storytelling (MHATS) program. The students learn about various
aspects of mental health and how it affects them and their
friends. The students also develop their personal stories about
their experience with mental illness and share them from a
position of power at communitywide storytelling events. After
these events, it's common for the storytellers to report that
students have approached them in school to ask about how to
access help.
He emphasized the data in Ms. Ringstad's testimony: 50 percent
of all lifetime mental health conditions onset by age 14; 75
percent of all lifetime mental illnesses onset by age 24 or 25.
These profound changes and experiences are occurring largely in
the teenage brain and there is little discussion about this
scary topic. This can be very daunting for the people
experiencing the mental illness and the people who want to
provide help, which is why SB 24 and the guidelines it will
provide are so important. School districts have brought these
programs on in the past with mixed results but they can feel
confident that SB 24 has been vetted by professionals in the
mental health field. Teachers can also feel confident that the
guidelines will help them navigate these conversations and talk
about suicide prevention in a proactive and effective way. He
noted that students from the MHATS program would be testifying
and their perspective was critical to hear.
3:44:58 PM
ANGELA KIMBALL, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Public
Policy for Inseparable, Alexandria, Virginia, testified by
invitation in support of SB 24. Inseparable is an advocacy
organization that is focused on closing the treatment gap,
improving crisis response services, and getting help early for
youth experiencing mental health conditions. She stated that
there is a mental health crisis among youth and Alaska students
are struggling. She reported that in 2019, nearly four in ten
school students in Alaska reported feeling persistently sad and
hopeless, and one in five reported having attempted suicide. She
said mental health challenges can affect a youth's education,
relationships, and their health and safety, so getting mental
health care earlier results in better a outcome. Unfortunately,
over half of Alaska's youth with major depression do not receive
any treatment.
MS. KIMBALL emphasized that an important first step to support
youth in getting help early is to provide mental health
education. This increases awareness and understanding of mental
health conditions, healthy coping strategies, and effective
treatment options. It also reduces stigma and increases help
seeking. According to a poll the 4-H organization commissioned,
70 percent of youth said they wish they had learned more about
mental health coping mechanisms in school. She said SB 24 will
help by ensuring that guidelines for developmentally appropriate
mental health education are available to school districts in
Alaska. She reiterated support for SB 24 and better lives for
youths in Alaska.
3:47:17 PM
IVY MARSHALL, Senior, West High School, Anchorage, Alaska,
testified by invitation in support of SB 24. She stated that she
has a personal interest in SB 24 because even before the COVID-
19 pandemic, she saw the effects of mental illness on herself
and her peers. School is difficult and being a teenager with
access to social media can make it even harder. Sometimes
students feel hopeless. She said the conversation about mental
health came up this year because students were feeling this way
but realized they had nobody to turn to. The subject of mental
illness is shrouded in stigma and students often are hesitant to
reach out to friends and even teachers. But the decision to take
a deep dive on the internet for help can yield misinformation
and miseducation. Passing SB 24 will aid in the search for help
when students feel lost and it can help prevent serious mental
health crises before they happen.
MS. MARSHALL recounted the story of a West High alumna who died
by suicide in her sophomore year in college. It shook the school
and community into a spiral of "How do we prevent this from
happening in the future?" The intended help backlashed and did
more harm than good. SB 24 would offer guidelines to schools
that want to start the conversation in a safe and health way but
don't know where to start.
MS. MARSHALL shared that she is a proud member of MHATS (Mental
Health Advocacy Through Storytelling) whose aim is to
destigmatize the conversation surrounding mental health. She has
seen the difference this organization has made in her school and
peers who attend the Storytelling shows. She opined that passing
SB 24 will have a positive effect on communities and kids and
potentially help save lives. She urged the committee to listen
to her and other youths who support mental health education and
a safe school environment for everyone.
3:50:00 PM
CHARLOTEE CRUIKSHANK, Junior, Dimond High School, Anchorage,
Alaska, stated that she is a member of MHATS and is testifying
in strong support of SB 24. She described the current situation
in her school from a mental health perspective. Students are
tired and stressed out; their grades are dropping and their
attendance is too. They don't know where to turn for information
on how to fix what is wrong. She said students are aware of
therapy and support groups but there is a stigma attached, so
they turn to Google. That takes students down a rabbit hole of
information that is often incorrect and unsafe. Passing SB 24
will help change this and help destigmatize the conversations
around mental health.
MS. CRUIKSHANK said she wanted to speak today about the effect
of suicide from a firsthand perspective. A student in her school
died by suicide two years ago. It affected everyone; she saw the
effect on teachers, on friends, and on the community as a whole.
She emphasized that stopping suicide starts with prevention. She
cited the statistic that 50 percent of all lifetime cases of
mental illness begin by age 14, and pointed out that the earlier
students receive safe, accurate, and non-stigmatizing
information the better. She said passing SB 24 will have a
positive impact and could very possibly save young lives. She
urged the committee members to use their position in office to
make a change and show that they care.
3:52:19 PM
CHAIR WILSON opened public testimony on SB 24.
3:52:37 PM
LILIANE ULUKIVAIOLA, representing self, Juneau, Alaska, stated
that she has worked with youth across the state and watched them
struggle with mental health issues and thoughts of suicide. She
supports SB 24 because it would allow mental health education in
schools which will give youths the tools to start conversations
about mental wellbeing and safe lives.
3:53:39 PM
STEVEN PEARCE, Director, Citizens Commission on Human Rights
(CCHR), Seattle, Washington, stated that CCHR, which is a
psychiatric watchdog organization, has concerns about SB 24. He
said the bill is supposed to be about mental health education
but as written, it will omit valuable data that children should
be aware of about the foundation of all psychiatric labels and
that they're subjective. He opined that it was the role of the
legislature to delineate boundaries to ensure the bill doesn't
authorize psychiatric labels and diagnosis and referral.
MR. PEARCE said another point of concern is that psychiatric
drugs are known to cause violence and contribute to suicidal
thoughts. He maintained that kids have been going through all
the challenges and discomforts of adolescence since the
beginning of time, but it wasn't until the toxic health care
system started drugging them that kids started taking guns to
school and initiating mass murder. He said there's a lot of
evidence and material linking violence and kids being placed on
psychiatric drugs.
MR. PEARCE concluded that CCHR is concerned about these issues
and the form that the proposed education will take in schools.
CCHR believes the legislature should describe the proposed
curriculum in more detail.
3:57:45 PM
PAMELA SAMASH, representing self, Nenana, Alaska, stated that
she supports mental health awareness but as a parent she had
three concerns about SB 24. First, she wanted assurance that
parents would be involved every step of the way and that there
would be nothing sneaky. Second, she was concerned about talking
about mental health issues with little kids. Her preference was
to let them be innocent kids. Her third concern was the
potential for the bill to provide a door for the Office of
Children's Services because "OCS likes to go into the schools
and they like to interview kids behind the parents' backs" which
can tear families apart. She voiced support for including the
foregoing family protections in SB 24.
4:00:12 PM
CHAIR WILSON discerned that nobody else was online or in the
room who wished to testify. He listed who was available to
answer questions.
4:00:44 PM
SENATOR DUNBAR stated that he cares deeply about mental health
issues but was concerned about placing yet another mandate on
schools. He noted that the Anchorage School District (ASD)
signed a letter in support of SB 24. He asked the sponsor to
speak about how ASD plans to integrate this new curriculum into
existing classroom time and resources.
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON clarified not SB 24 encourages schools to
add mental health education into the curriculum; it is not a
mandate. She asked whether he'd reviewed the fiscal note.
4:01:58 PM
SENATOR DUNBAR replied that he was thinking about local schools
and that wouldn't manifest in the fiscal note.
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON said 26 agencies, including the Anchorage
School District, support the bill. She expressed confidence that
she would have been notified if ASD felt the bill was
burdensome.
4:02:55 PM
MS. ODOM added that SB 24 is an encouragement, so schools will
have the latitude to assess their capacity to add this to the
curriculum. She noted that more than 20 schools across the state
have already implemented some form of mental health education.
4:03:31 PM
SENATOR TOBIN stated that the Senate Education Committee heard
the bill and received resounding support including from students
who implored the legislature to pass the bill. She also noted
that the National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL) reported
that last year Delaware, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Kentucky,
Louisiana, and Maryland all passed legislation addressing
student mental health and suicide. She was pleased that Alaska
was also moving in that direction. She referenced the public
testimony and asked whether anything in the bill authorizes
schools to diagnose mental illness in students.
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON said no; the bill is about encouraging
student education. It doesn't replace physicians and it doesn't
diagnose.
4:04:37 PM
SENATOR TOBIN asked whether anything in the bill authorizes or
encourages involvement from OCS or any other type of
organization.
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON answered no.
SENATOR KAUFMAN asked whether school districts were in any way
prevented from providing this education right now.
4:05:13 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON replied that SB 24 adds mental health
education to the existing statutes that address school
curricula.
SENATOR KAUFMAN asked whether schools could add mental health
education to their curricula without SB 24.
4:05:47 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON said she believes that if it's in statute,
it will encourage more schools to consider adding mental health
education to their curricula.
SENATOR KAUFMAN asked if the fiscal note reflects that
developing a curriculum on mental health is outside the scope of
the board's normal duties.
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON deferred to Ms. Odom.
4:06:35 PM
MS. ODOM answered yes; the board would need to work with the
various agencies and organizations identified in the bill to
develop this curriculum.
4:06:54 PM
SENATOR KAUFMAN directed attention to the language on page 2,
line 16 that says, "a school health specialist position shall be
established and funded." He restated his question about whether
this could be done with the existing resources for developing
curricula. He also asked whether the existing health curricula
encompasses some element of mental health.
4:08:13 PM
MS. ODOM restated that some districts have implemented some form
of mental health education, but the material was developed in
the Lower 48 and it doesn't recognize Alaska's uniqueness and
diversity. SB 24 seeks to develop a standard that can be used
throughout the state so it's uniformly effective in a village or
urban school.
CHAIR WILSON asked Deborah Riddle whether the school health
education specialist position established and funded in the
department was an existing or new position.
4:09:57 PM
DEBORAH RIDDLE, Operations Manager, Division of Innovation and
Education Excellence (IEE), Department of Education and Early
Development, Juneau, Alaska, stated that it's an existing
position that currently is filled. The fiscal note doesn't
include that position.
4:10:21 PM
SENATOR KAUFMAN mentioned the concern that was expressed about
ensuring parental involvement, and asked whether the department
was receptive to the request.
4:10:44 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON responded that existing AS 14.03.016
addresses that issue.
4:11:01 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL voiced support for SB 24 and pointed out that
the language about the school health education specialist
position was existing statutory language.
SENATOR GIESSEL stated that part of her clinical practice is to
provide health care in the Anchorage School District. She also
screens for behavioral health issues such as anxiety,
depression, and suicidal ideation. She said a behavioral health
therapist is onsite in many schools but as the sponsor said,
none of these services can be provided without the parent's
consent. She underscored the importance of these services with
data. She said that since the schools reopened after the
pandemic, she has provided health care to more than double the
usual number of students, many of which are experiencing mental
health issues as a result of being isolated during COVID.
SENATOR GIESSEL reported that schools in both Anchorage and
Fairbanks are offering mental health education at no cost to the
school district. Contract organizations offer the services in
schools if the principal agrees and provides an office for the
physical exams and the behavioral health clinician. She
encouraged the committee members to visit a school that offers
these contracted services. She shared some of her professional
experiences in this venue to emphasize the need to provide the
opportunity for these services. She clarified that this is not
about calling in OCS; it's about reaching out to a fellow human
being who might need help.
SENATOR GIESSEL disputed the claims that mental health education
was a way to manipulate children. She emphasized that kids today
are stressed by things that older generations didn't experience.
She also pointed out that the agencies that will consult with
the state board on developing guidelines for developmentally
appropriate instruction in mental health have specialized
knowledge in this area.
SENATOR GIESSEL said she was bothered by the size of the fiscal
note and wondered whether it could be reduced if some of the
nonprofits the sponsor identified could serve as volunteers on
an advisory committee to develop the guidelines for the
developmentally appropriate instruction in mental health.
4:16:32 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON responded that she couldn't respond for the
26 organizations that support the bill, but she would have
conversations with the ones she'd worked closely with.
CHAIR WILSON asked the sponsor to repeat the parental consent
statute she mentioned earlier.
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON identified AS 14.03.016 as the statute
relating to a parent's right to direct the education of the
parent's child.
4:17:17 PM
At ease.
4:17:40 PM
CHAIR WILSON reconvened the meeting.
4:17:43 PM
CHAIR TOBIN referenced the fiscal note and asked Ms. Riddle to
explain the reason for the one-time expenditure for 30 committee
members to travel twice a year to meet in person. She suggested
that meeting virtually could reduce that overhead.
4:18:35 PM
MS. RIDDLE responded that the fiscal note modeled the standards
the department used in the past for other committees. She
acknowledged that the meetings could be virtual.
4:19:56 PM
SENATOR TOBIN articulated the fiscal benefits for meeting
virtually and the equity of access.
4:20:33 PM
CHAIR WILSON observed that the statute relating the parent's
right to direct education of the parent's child only talks about
notification in subsection (a)(3) and subsection (d)(2)(A) and
(B). He questioned whether the statute should be expanded to
include notification about other topics that are addressed.
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON deferred to Ms. Odom to respond.
MS. ODOM responded that the sponsor was receptive to amending
the bill to address the concern.
4:22:29 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL advised that the age of consent in Alaska is 18,
so a parent must give consent for their child to receive any
service, even if the child requests the service. She said this
is the law even if it isn't in the education statutes.
CHAIR WILSON said he was talking about parents being aware of
the topics that might be addressed in the classroom because some
topics could trigger unexpected reactions. If the parents were
aware, they might be better prepared to deal with the reaction
their child might have.
4:24:04 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON responded by citing the 2022 Mental Health
American Report that found a higher prevalence of mental illness
and lower access to care among youth in Alaska than 46 of the 50
states and the District of Columbia.
4:24:41 PM
CHAIR WILSON held SB 24 in committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 24 verison A.PDF |
SHSS 3/23/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 24 |
| SB 24 version A Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SHSS 3/23/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 24 |
| SB 24 v A Sectional Analysis.pdf |
SHSS 3/23/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 24 |
| SB 24 FN 1 DEED.pdf |
SHSS 3/23/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 24 |
| SB 24 Supporting Document - Surgeon-General 1.17.2023.pdf |
SFIN 2/7/2024 9:00:00 AM SHSS 3/23/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 24 |
| SB 24 Supporting Document - Data and Statistics on Children's Mental Health 1.24.2023.pdf |
SFIN 2/7/2024 9:00:00 AM SHSS 3/23/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 24 |
| SB 24 Supporting Document - Mental Health in Schools 1.17.2023.pdf |
SFIN 2/7/2024 9:00:00 AM SHSS 3/23/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 24 |
| SB 24 Supporting Document - A Surprising Remedy 3.10.2023.pdf |
SFIN 2/7/2024 9:00:00 AM SHSS 3/23/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 24 |
| SB 24 Letter of Opposition - Lasley.pdf |
SHSS 3/23/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 24 |
| SB24 Coalition Letter of Support.pdf |
SFIN 2/7/2024 9:00:00 AM SHSS 3/23/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 24 |
| SB 24 Citizens Comm on Human Rights Letter.pdf |
SHSS 3/23/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 24 |