BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 330|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 330
Author: Padilla (D), et al.
Amended: 5/28/13
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 Le�n, Walters, Gaines, Hill, Lara, Padilla, Steinberg
SUBJECT : Health framework: pupil mental health instruction
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill requires during the next revision of the
publication "Health Framework for California Public Schools,"
the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) to develop, and
recommend for adoption by the state board, a distinct category
on mental health instruction, as described, to educate pupils
about all aspects of mental health. This bill 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. The bill requires CDE to review information
and programs from other states and countries. Commencing with
the 2013-14 school year, this bill authorizes a school district
to provide to pupils in any grades mental health instruction,
and does not require or authorize the IQC to recommend new
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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 State Board of Education (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
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.Requires during the next revision of the publication "Health
Framework for California Public Schools," the IQC to develop,
and recommend for adoption by the SBE, a distinct category on
mental health instruction, as described, to educate pupils
about all aspects of mental health.
2.Requires the CDE to convene stakeholders in the mental health
and educational fields, as provided, to provide input for the
development of the mental health instruction in the health
framework.
3.Requires CDE to review information and programs from other
states and countries. Commencing with the 2013-14 school
year, the bill authorizes a school district to provide to
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pupils in any grades mental health instruction, and does not
require or authorize the IQC to recommend new health education
content standards, as specified.
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
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 7 and 8. AB 739 was held on the Assembly Appropriations
Committee's suspense file.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
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According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
Mental health inclusion in health framework: Potential costs of
$140,000, depending on whether the 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)
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."
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PQ:ej 5/28/13 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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