ARIZONA STATE SENATE

JULIA PAULUS

LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH ASSISTANT ANALYST

 

JEFFREY ONG

LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH ANALYST

EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Telephone: (602) 926-3171

RESEARCH STAFF

 

 

TO:                  MEMBERS OF THE SENATE

                        EDUCATION COMMITTEE

DATE:            February 7, 2020

SUBJECT:      Strike everything amendment to S.B. 1023, relating to safe schools; plan


 


Purpose

            Requires each school district (district) to adopt a Safe Schools Plan (Plan) that establishes procedures for recognizing, screening for and responding to emotional or behavioral distress in pupils.

Background

The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) supports efforts to increase awareness of mental health issues in young people, train school personnel to detect and respond to mental health issues and connect youth and their families to behavioral health resources. ADE houses Project Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education (Project AWARE) with the purpose of: 1) fostering mental health and wellness for students and others within the school community; 2) providing professional development and training to school personnel, students and families to recognize and respond to mental health concerns; and 3) increasing mental health awareness, reducing stigma, and promoting resilience (ADE).

Current law requires each Arizona teacher training program to develop evidenced-based instruction on suicide awareness and prevention. That instruction must be provided to all teacher candidates in the training programs and include: 1) training in suicide prevention; 2) training to identify the warning signs of suicidal behavior in adolescents and teens; and 3) appropriate intervention and referral techniques (A.R.S. § 15-1656).

            There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1.      Requires each district, beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, to adopt a Plan that addresses how the district will recognize, initially screen for and respond to emotional or behavioral distress in pupils, including indicators of possible substance abuse, violence and youth suicide.

2.      Requires, at a minimum, each Plan to:

a)      identify training opportunities for school staff in recognizing and screening for emotional or behavioral distress in pupils and referring them to appropriate entities;

b)      include efforts to use expertise of current staff that have received training in recognizing and screening for emotional or behavioral distress in pupils;

c)      describe how staff should respond to suspicions, concerns or warning signs of emotional or behavioral distress;

d)      identify and develop partnerships with community organizations and agencies to refer pupils to health, mental health, substance abuse and social support services;

e)      include at least one memorandum of understanding between the school district and an appropriate community entity;

f)       include protocols and procedures for communicating with parents and students;

g)      describe how staff should respond to a crisis in which a pupil is an imminent danger to themselves or others; and

h)      describe how the district will provide support to pupils and staff after an incident of violence or youth suicide.

3.      Requires each district to annually provide the adopted Plan to all employees.

4.      Requires each district to notify and obtain consent from parents before screening or referring a pupil as prescribed in the adopted Plan.

5.      Allows a Plan to be a separate plan or a component of a broader plan or policy.

6.      Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to:

a)      develop and post on ADE's website a model Plan with relevant information to support districts in developing a Plan by February 1, 2021;

b)      annually post on ADE's website:

                              i.     a list of statewide resources and community-based organizations that provide support to youth who have been subjected to school-based discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying;

                            ii.     a list of statewide resources for youth who have been affected by gangs, domestic violence and psychological trauma caused by violence at home, school or in the community; and

                          iii.     any updates to the required lists.

7.      Becomes effective on the general effective date.