BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 330
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 330 (Padilla)
As Amended September 3, 2013
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :39-0
EDUCATION 7-0 APPROPRIATIONS 16-0
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|Ayes:|Buchanan, Olsen, Chávez, |Ayes:|Gatto, Harkey, Bigelow, |
| |Gonzalez, Nazarian, | |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian |
| |Weber, Williams | |Calderon, Campos, Eggman, |
| | | |Gomez, Hall, Holden, |
| | | |Linder, Pan, Quirk, |
| | | |Wagner, Weber |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Requires, when the Health Framework for Public
Schools is next revised, the Instructional Quality Commission
(IQC) to consider developing and recommending to the State Board
of Education (SBE) a distinct category on mental health
instruction to educate pupils about all aspects of mental
health. Specifically, this bill :
1)Specifies that mental health instruction shall include, but is
not limit to, all of the following:
a) Reasonably designed and age-appropriate instruction on
the overarching themes and core principles of mental
health.
b) Defining common mental health challenges such as
depression, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, schizophrenia,
bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and anxiety, including
post-traumatic stress disorder.
c) Elucidating the services and supports that effectively
help individuals manage mental health challenges.
d) Promoting mental health wellness, which includes
positive development, social connectedness and supportive
relationships, resiliency, problem solving skills, coping
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skills, self-esteem, and a positive school and home
environment in which pupils feel comfortable.
e) Ability to identify warning signs of common mental
health problems in order to promote awareness and early
intervention so pupils know to take action before a
situation turns into a crisis; and, specifies this should
include instruction on both of the following:
i) How to appropriately seek and find assistance from
mental health professionals and services within the
school district and in the community for themselves or
others.
ii) Appropriate evidence-based research and practices
that are proven to help overcome mental health
challenges.
f) The connection and importance of mental health to
overall health and academic success as well as to
co-occurring conditions, such as chronic physical
conditions and chemical dependence and substance abuse.
g) Awareness and appreciation about the prevalence of
mental health challenges across all populations, races,
ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses, including the
impact of culture on the experience and treatment of mental
health challenges.
h) Stigma surrounding mental health challenges and what can
be done to overcome stigma, increase awareness, and promote
acceptance; and, specifies this shall include, to the
extent possible, classroom presentations of narratives by
peers and other individuals who have experienced mental
health challenges, and how they coped with their
situations, including how they sought help and acceptance.
2)Specifies that in the normal course of recommending curriculum
frameworks to the SBE, the IQC shall ensure that one or more
experts in the mental health and education fields provides
input in the development of the mental health instruction in
the health framework; and, specifies that it is the intent of
the Legislature that the IQC seek experts in the mental health
and education fields, including, but not limited to,
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stakeholders from culturally, racially, and ethnically diverse
communities, representatives from all mental health
professions, teachers, counselors, parents, those involved in
promoting mental wellness, and those living with a mental
health challenge and their families.
3)Specifies that this measure does not require or authorize the
Instructional Quality Commission to recommend new health
education content standards.
4)Makes findings and declarations of the Legislature relating to
the importance of mental health awareness; and, that all
California kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, pupils
have the opportunity to benefit from a comprehensive mental
health education curriculum.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Declares Legislative intent that an adequate health education
program in the public schools is essential to continued
progress and improvement in the quality of public health in
this state and that comprehensive health education, taught by
properly trained person, is effective in the prevention of
disease and disability. (Education code 51881)
2)Defines "comprehensive health education programs" as all
educational programs offered in kindergarten and grades 1 to
12 in the public school system designed to ensure that pupils
will receive instruction to aid them in making decisions in
matters of personal, family, and community health. (Education
code 51890)
3)Requires the State Board of Education to adopt content
standards in the curriculum area of health education, based on
the recommendations of the Superintendent of Public
Instruction. (Education code 51210.8)
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee General Fund (GF) administrative costs, likely less
than $50,000 to add a mental health expert to an IQC curriculum
panel, as specified. These costs would be in addition to the
base GF costs the IQC incurs for developing the health
curriculum framework.
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COMMENTS :
Health Education Standards . California curriculum is based on
content standards. The State Board of Education (SBE) adopted
Health Education Contend Standards for California Public
Schools, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve on March 12, 2008.
The curriculum frameworks are guidelines of implementing the
adopted standards. The health curriculum framework was
scheduled to be revised to align it to the 2008 health standards
but due to the fiscal situation in the state and resulting
budget actions, the development of curriculum frameworks and
adoption of instructional materials has been suspended until the
2015-16 school year. AB 2 X4 (Evans), Chapter 2, Statutes of
2009-10, prohibits the SBE from adopting or following any of the
procedures to adopt instructional materials, including following
the procedures related to framework development, through the
2012-13 school year. SB 70 (Budget Committee) Chapter 7,
Statutes of 2011, extends this prohibition to the 2015-16 school
year. The revision and adoption of a health framework may be
several years away given the existing fiscal challenges.
Despite the delay in the adoption of a health framework, the
Assembly should consider whether it is important to include
mental health education in the next revision of the health
framework. California does not require the completion of a
health course as a condition for graduation from high school.
Districts are authorized to offer health education courses to
students and may require students to complete health education
coursework as a district graduation requirement.
As indicated by the Senate Appropriations Committee analysis,
the adopted standards for health education already include
references to mental health. Within these standards, "Mental,
Emotional and Social Health" is one of six emphases across the
grade levels. For example, in grades 7-12, the standards call
for instruction in describing the "importance of recognizing
signs of disordered eating and other common mental health
conditions" and analyzing the "signs of depression, potential
suicide, and other self-destructive behaviors."
A number of bills have been introduced this year proposing to
require instruction include a specific topic. The Assembly
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should consider the extent to which specific content should be
developed through statutory incorporation versus through the
Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) process. The IQC is an
18-member commission consisting of one member of the Assembly,
one member of the Senate, and 16 public members. At least seven
of the public members must have taught, written, or lectured on
the subject areas required for graduation. The IQC members have
subject matter expertise and can balance competing demands for
limited instructional time.
New Instructional Materials : The Assembly should consider that
with the inclusion of this new topic in health education, it is
possible that health teachers may not have the necessary
experience to teach the detailed and specific topics included in
the bill and may need specialized training and resources. It is
also unclear whether these resources already exist and how they
will be identified. School districts may need to identify these
materials on their own.
According to the author, mental health is important to overall
health, quality of life, and academic success. Mental health
challenges can interfere with daily activities, school work,
friendships, and can result in decreased productivity, pain, and
suffering. Mental health challenges touch everyone and affect
all age groups, races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic classes.
According to the National Institute of Health an estimated one
in five children and one in four adults live with some sort of
mental health challenge. In total, close to 50% of all
Americans will experience a mental health challenge over their
lifetime. This doesn't include those affected by the mental
health challenges of close friends and family. Education is one
of the best ways to increase awareness and treatment, and reduce
the stigma associated with mental health challenges.
California's public education system is one of the most
effective means to provide each child with an opportunity to
acquire knowledge about mental health issues. Current code
provides minimal, almost no, guidelines on what mental health
topics should be included in the state's comprehensive health
education programs. This bill puts into code specific issues
the state should consider including on mental health in its
education framework.
Analysis Prepared by : Chelsea Kelley / ED. / (916) 319-2087
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