Article
6. Mental Health Counseling
89360.
As used in this chapter, the following definitions apply:(a) “CSU” means the California State University.
(b) “Mental health counselor” means a person who provides individual counseling, group counseling, crisis intervention, emergency services, referrals, or outreach and consultation interventions to the campus community, or any combination of these, and who is licensed in the State of California by the applicable licensing entity.
89361.
(a) (1) The trustees shall have one full-time equivalent mental health counselor per 1,500 students enrolled at each CSU campus to the fullest extent consistent with state and federal law.(2) Where possible, mental health counselors hired pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be full-time staff and should reflect the diversity of the student body.
(b) The number of mental health counselors as computed pursuant to subdivision (a) shall constitute the minimum number of mental health counselors to be hired on a campus based on the campus student population. Additional mental health counselors may be hired in accordance with additional needs identified on a
campus.
(c) (1) On or before January 1, 2025, and every three years thereafter, the trustees shall report to the Legislature, pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code, on how funding was spent, the number of mental health counselors employed on each CSU campus, and student wait times for mental health counseling appointments.
(2) (A) On or before November 1, 2024, and every three years thereafter, each CSU campus shall conduct a campus survey and focus groups, including groups with students of color and LGBTQ+ students, to understand student needs and challenges about their mental health and emotional well-being, sense of belonging on campus, and academic success.
(B) The campus surveys and data collection pursuant to this paragraph shall be conducted in accordance
with state and federal privacy law, including, but not limited to, the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (Part 2.6 (commencing with Section 56) of Division 1 of the Civil Code), the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232g), and the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-191).
(C) The data collected, without any personally identifiable information, pursuant to this paragraph shall be included in the reports to the Legislature pursuant to paragraph (1).
(3) Each CSU campus shall collect data on attempted suicides through self-reporting, mental health counselor records, and known hospitalizations. This data, without any personally identifiable information, shall be included in the reports to the Legislature pursuant to paragraph (1).
89362.
(a) (1) Commencing on January 1, 2024, the trustees shall develop a telehealth mental health counseling service that provides students on each CSU campus with mental health counseling 24 hours per day, seven days per week in order to provide real-time mental health counseling and significantly reduce wait times for students.(2) On or before January 1, 2026, the CSU telehealth mental health service shall be fully operational and serving students on each CSU campus.
(3) Mental health counseling services provided through the telehealth mental health counseling service shall be fully staffed by mental health counselors employed by the CSU in accordance with
the applicable collective bargaining agreement with the exclusive representative.
(b) (1) Commencing on January 1, 2024, all CSU contracts with telehealth mental health counseling organizations shall be phased out over a two-year period, and shall be discontinued on January 1, 2026.
(2) Commencing on January 1, 2024, all CSU contracts with telehealth mental health providers shall be revised and shall include explicit language that ensures that current contractors adhere to the same transparency, accountability, and outcome measure standards that apply to CSU employees and upholds California values of equity, inclusion, and diversity.
(3) Revised contract language shall contain provisions addressing all of the following criteria:
(A) The provider has a proven record of providing culturally competent, trauma-informed, and responsive mental health services.
(B) The contractor shall guarantee continuity of care.
(C) All employees of the provider shall complete implicit bias, LGBTQ+, and sexual harassment trainings.
(D) The provider shall adhere to the same standards set forth in Section 11139.8 of the Government Code that prohibits a state agency, department, board, or commission from requiring any state employees, officers, or members to travel to a state that discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
(E) The employees of the provider shall reflect the demographics of the CSU student body.
(4) All contracts between the CSU and the telehealth mental health provider shall adhere to all provisions of Chapter 12 (commencing with Section 3560) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code and be approved, in writing, by the exclusive bargaining unit representing CSU counselors.
(c) This section shall not be construed to alter the terms of a collective bargaining agreement or a contract with a telehealth mental health provider in effect on January 1, 2024, in violation of Section 9 of Article I of the California Constitution or Section 10 of Article I of the United States Constitution.
89363.
(a) This section shall be known, and may be cited, as the CSU Mental Health Professionals Act. The goal of this section is to provide incentives for CSU students to become mental health counselors in the state.(b) The trustees shall create a pipeline for interested CSU students to become mental health counselors in the state.
(c) Funds appropriated to the CSU for purposes of this section may be used to provide paid internships for CSU students who need to complete supervised professional experience in order to be mental health counselors licensed by the Board of Psychology or the Board of Behavioral Sciences.
(d) Funds appropriated to the CSU for purposes of this section may be used to support recruitment efforts for students to enroll in graduate degree programs that lead to licensure by the Board of Psychology or the Board of Behavioral Sciences to practice mental health counseling in the state.
(e) This section shall become operational only upon appropriation of one-time funds by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another statute for its purposes.