02/08/2022 01:00 PM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 80                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to mental health education."                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:11:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ELVI GRAY-JACKSON, SPONSOR, introduced the legislation.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:13:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KEITH BAUGUESS, STAFF, SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON, discussed the                                                                      
Sectional Analysis (copy on file):                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Section  1: This  section is  amended by  adding a  new                                                                    
     section to  read LEGISLATIVE INTENT.  It is  the intent                                                                    
     of  the legislature  that the  Board  of Education  and                                                                    
     Early  Development develop  guidelines for  instruction                                                                    
     in mental  health in  consultation with  the Department                                                                    
     of Health  and Social Services, regional  tribal health                                                                    
     organizations,  and  representatives  of  national  and                                                                    
     state mental health organizations.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     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" 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  of                                                                    
     Health  and  Social  Services  and  representatives  of                                                                    
     national and state mental health organizations.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     Section 4:  This section amends AS  14.30.360 by adding                                                                    
     a  new  subsection to  read:  (e)  A district  may  not                                                                    
     instruct  a  student in  mental  health  as part  of  a                                                                    
     program in  health education under (a)  of this section                                                                    
     without informed  consent from the student's  parent or                                                                    
     guardian. The district shall  inform the child's parent                                                                    
     or guardian,  in the native  language of the  parent or                                                                    
     guardian, of the time, date,  and content of the mental                                                                    
     health  instruction,  that  consent is  voluntary,  and                                                                    
     that  consent  may  be  revoked  at  any  time.  Before                                                                    
     instructing a  student in  mental health,  the district                                                                    
     shall  obtain  written  consent   from  the  parent  or                                                                    
     guardian  indicating   that  the  parent   or  guardian                                                                    
     understands and  agrees to the  student's participation                                                                    
     in the mental health instruction.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Section 5:  This section amends  the uncodified  law of                                                                    
     the State  of Alaska  by adding a  new section  to read                                                                    
     "the  state Board  of Education  and Early  Development                                                                    
     shall develop the mental  health guidelines required by                                                                    
     AS  14.30.360(b), as  amended by  sec. 3  of this  Act,                                                                    
     within two years after the effective day of this Act.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:16:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
A video  was played for  the committee that  highlighted the                                                                  
legislation.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:21:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop OPENED invited testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:21:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JASON  LASSARD,  EXECUTIVE  DIRECTOR, NATIONAL  ALLIANCE  ON                                                                    
MENTAL  ILLNESS ANCHORAGE,  ANCHORAGE (via  teleconference),                                                                    
testified  in support  of the  legislation.  He pointed  out                                                                    
that 50  percent of all  lifetime mental illnesses  begin at                                                                    
age  14.  He  stated  that 75  percent  of  lifetime  mental                                                                    
illnesses show up  at age 24. He stressed  the importance of                                                                    
discussing mental health and  mental illness with teenagers.                                                                    
He  pointed  out that  many  teenagers  use internet  search                                                                    
engines to figure out their mental health issues.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:26:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator von Imhof  remarked that the video  suggested it was                                                                    
a mandate.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Grey Jackson  replied that  the  current bill  only                                                                    
encouraged mental health education  in K-12 schools, and did                                                                    
not mandate mental health education.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:27:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JUSTIN  PENDERGRASS,  SELF,  WASILLA  (via  teleconference),                                                                    
testified in support  of the legislation. He  shared that he                                                                    
had  a long  history of  struggling with  mental health.  He                                                                    
relayed  his   mental  health  history.  He   believed  that                                                                    
building connection  was a meaningful way  to support people                                                                    
struggling  with mental  health. He  felt that  there was  a                                                                    
lack  of  understanding  and  knowledge  surrounding  mental                                                                    
health and young people. He  believed that the bill provided                                                                    
opportunity for  mental health education  for those  who may                                                                    
currently  lack  the  resources.   He  thought  the  current                                                                    
pandemic would have a ripple effect on young people.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Senator  von Imhof  appreciated Mr.  Pendergrass's testimony                                                                    
and the work he did in his community.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:32:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOHON  ATKINSON,  SELF,   METLAKATLA  (via  teleconference),                                                                    
testified in support of the bill.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:37:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KATHLEEN  WENDEMEYER, CITIZEN  COMMISSION  OF HUMAN  RIGHTS,                                                                    
SEATTLE (via  teleconference), spoke in support  of amending                                                                    
the legislation.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:40:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DESIREE  ESULUK,  SELF,  TOKSOOK BAY  (via  teleconference),                                                                    
spoke in support of the bill.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:41:57 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LUCAS JOHNSON, ADVISOR, NATIONAL  ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS                                                                    
ANCHORAGE, MAINE (via  teleconference), testified in support                                                                    
of the bill.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:43:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:43:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Gray-Jackson thanked the committee.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop discussed the following day's agenda.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SB 80 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further                                                                               
consideration.