BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                            



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                                 UNFINISHED BUSINESS


          Bill No:  SB 330
          Author:   Padilla (D), et al.
          Amended:  9/3/13
          Vote:     21


           SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE  :  9-0, 5/1/13  
           AYES: Liu, Wyland, Block, Correa, Hancock, Hueso, Huff, Jackson,  
            Monning

           SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE  :  7-0, 5/23/13
          AYES:  De León, Walters, Gaines, Hill, Lara, Padilla, Steinberg

           SENATE FLOOR  :  39-0, 5/29/13
          AYES:  Anderson, Beall, Berryhill, Block, Calderon, Cannella,  
            Corbett, Correa, De León, DeSaulnier, Emmerson, Evans, Fuller,  
            Gaines, Galgiani, Hancock, Hernandez, Hill, Hueso, Huff,  
            Jackson, Knight, Lara, Leno, Lieu, Liu, Monning, Nielsen,  
            Padilla, Pavley, Price, Roth, Steinberg, Torres, Walters,  
            Wolk, Wright, Wyland, Yee
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Vacancy

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  76-0, 9/9/13 - See last page for vote


           SUBJECT  :    Health framework:  pupil mental health instruction

           SOURCE  :     Author


           DIGEST  :    This bill requires, when the Health Framework for  
          Public Schools is next revised, the Instructional Quality  
          Commission (IQC) to consider developing and recommending to the  
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          State Board of Education (SBE) a distinct category on mental  
          health instruction to educate pupils about all aspects of mental  
          health.

           Assembly Amendments  (1) add language that requires the IQC to  
          ensure that one or more experts in the mental health and  
          educational fields provides input in the development of the  
          mental health instruction in the health framework, as provided;  
          (2) add language that in the course of recommending curriculum  
          frameworks to the SBE, the IQC shall ensure that one or more  
          experts in the mental health and educational fields provides  
          input in the development of the mental health instruction in the  
          health framework, as specified; and (3) delete language that  
          requires the California Department of Education (CDE) to convene  
          stakeholders in the mental health and educational fields, to  
          provide input for the development of the mental health  
          instruction in the health framework; delete language requiring  
          CDE to review information and programs from other states and  
          countries and language commencing with the 2013-14 school year,  
          authorizing a school district to provide to pupils in any grades  
          mental health instruction, and not require or authorizing the  
          IQC to recommend new health education content standards, as  
          specified.

           ANALYSIS  :    Academic content standards define the knowledge,  
          concepts, and skills that pupils should acquire at each grade  
          level (the "what").  Curricular frameworks are the blueprint for  
          implementing the standards, and include criteria by which  
          instructional materials are evaluated (the "how").

          The processes for reviewing frameworks and adopting  
          instructional materials have been suspended since July 28, 2009.  
           The SBE is specifically prohibited from reviewing frameworks  
          and adopting instructional materials until the 2015-16 school  
          year.

          The role of the IQC is to recommend curriculum frameworks to the  
          SBE, develop criteria for evaluating instructional materials,  
          study, evaluate and recommend to the SBE instructional materials  
          for adoption, make recommendations to the SBE regarding the use  
          of frameworks and model curriculum and alignment with the  
          academic content standards.

          The health framework was last adopted in 2003, and was in the  

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          process of being revised when the statutory (and budgetary)  
          suspension of that process took effect in July 2009.  Adoption  
          of the revised health framework was projected for March 2011. 

          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  
               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:

                (1)     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.

                (2)     Appropriate evidence-based research and practices  
                  that are proven to help overcome mental health  
                  challenges.

             A.   The connection and importance of mental health to  
               overall health and academic success as well as to  
               co-occurring conditions, such as chronic physical  

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               conditions and chemical dependence and substance abuse.

             B.   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.

             C.   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.

          1.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,  
            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.

          2.Specifies that this bill does not require or authorize the IQC  
            to recommend new health education content standards.

          3.Makes findings and declarations of the Legislature relating to  
            the importance of mental health awareness; and, that all  
            California kindergarten and grades one to 12, inclusive,  
            pupils have the opportunity to benefit from a comprehensive  
            mental health education curriculum. 

           Comments
           
          According to the Senate Education Committee analysis:

               The health framework appears to contain very little  
               information relative to mental health and does not appear  

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               to include grade-specific expectations.  This bill requires  
               the creation of a distinct category on mental health within  
               the health framework.

               The State Board of Education is prohibited from reviewing  
               frameworks until fall 2015 at the earliest.  The health  
               framework was last adopted in 2003, and was in the process  
               of being revised when the statutory (and budgetary)  
               suspension of that process took effect in July 2009.   
               Adoption of the revised health framework was projected for  
               March 2011. 

               There does not appear to be a specific plan for the  
               resumption of the process of reviewing and updating  
               curricular frameworks.  Assuming the prior schedule is  
               resumed as it was upon suspension and frameworks for  
               history-social science and science are completed first, the  
               health framework would likely be revisited in 2018 at the  
               earliest.
           Prior Legislation  

          AB 739 (Lowenthal, 2011) would have required the SBE and the  
          Curriculum Development and Supplemental Materials Commission to  
          include suicide prevention and mental illness awareness  
          instruction in the health education curriculum framework for  
          grades 7th and 8th.  AB 739 was held on the Assembly  
          Appropriations Committee's suspense file.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes    
          Local:  No

          According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:

           Mental health inclusion in health framework:  Potential costs  
            of $140,000, depending on whether this bill intends to update  
            the framework based on current Health Standards for Mental  
            Health, or whether it intends to reopen the Health Standards  
            to update or expand them further.

           Stakeholder work group:  Potentially significant costs.  The  
            CDE estimates $80,000 in costs to convene the specified  
            stakeholders to provide input for the framework.

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  5/28/13)(unable to reverify at time of  

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          writing)

          Association of California School Administrators
          California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
          California Association of School Psychologists
          California Association of School Social Workers
          California Medical Association
          California Mental Health Directors Association
          California Psychological Association
          California School Health Centers Association
          California State PTA
          Disability Rights California
          EMQ FamiliesFirst
          Long Beach Unified School District
          Los Angeles County Office of Education
          Los Angeles Unified School District
          Mental Health America of California
          National Alliance on Mental Illness
          National Alliance on Mental Illness, California Chapter


           ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT  :    According to the author, "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.  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."

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  76-0, 9/9/13
          AYES:  Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Bigelow, Bloom,  
            Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown, Buchanan, Ian  
            Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chávez, Chesbro, Conway, Cooley,  
            Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Eggman, Fong, Fox, Frazier, Beth  
            Gaines, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gorell, Gray,  
            Grove, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Roger Hernández, Holden, Jones,  
            Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder, Logue, Lowenthal, Maienschein,  
            Medina, Melendez, Mitchell, Morrell, Mullin, Muratsuchi,  
            Nazarian, Nestande, Olsen, Pan, Patterson, Perea, V. Manuel  
            Pérez, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Rendon, Salas, Skinner, Stone,  
            Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wieckowski, Wilk, Williams,  

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            Yamada, John A. Pérez
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Donnelly, Mansoor, Vacancy, Vacancy


          PQ:ej  9/9/13   Senate Floor Analyses 

                           SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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