Bill Text: TX SB1390 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: Relating to suicide prevention in public school curriculum and certain educational programs concerning suicide prevention and substance abuse prevention.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-2)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-05-21 - Placed on General State Calendar [SB1390 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-SB1390-Comm_Sub.html

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86R26878 GCB-F
By: Menéndez, et al. S.B. No. 1390
(Allison, Coleman)
Substitute the following for S.B. No. 1390: No.

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to suicide prevention in public school curriculum and
certain educational programs concerning suicide prevention and
substance abuse prevention.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 21.451(d), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(d) The staff development:
(1) may include training in:
(A) technology;
(B) conflict resolution;
(C) discipline strategies, including classroom
management, district discipline policies, and the student code of
conduct adopted under Section 37.001 and Chapter 37;
(D) preventing, identifying, responding to, and
reporting incidents of bullying; and
(E) digital learning;
(2) subject to Subsection (e) and to Section 21.3541
and rules adopted under that section, must include training that is
evidence-based, as defined by Section 8101, Every Student Succeeds
Act (20 U.S.C. Section 7801), that:
(A) relates to instruction of students with
disabilities; and
(B) is designed for educators who work primarily
outside the area of special education; and
(3) must include suicide prevention training that must
be provided:
(A) on an annual basis, as part of a new employee
orientation, to all new school district and open-enrollment charter
school educators; and
(B) to existing school district and
open-enrollment charter school educators at least once every five
years [on a schedule adopted by the agency by rule].
SECTION 2. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
follows:
(a) Each school district that offers kindergarten through
grade 12 shall offer, as a required curriculum:
(1) a foundation curriculum that includes:
(A) English language arts;
(B) mathematics;
(C) science; and
(D) social studies, consisting of Texas, United
States, and world history, government, economics, with emphasis on
the free enterprise system and its benefits, and geography; and
(2) an enrichment curriculum that includes:
(A) to the extent possible, languages other than
English;
(B) health, with emphasis on:
(i) physical health, including the
importance of proper nutrition and exercise;
(ii) mental health, including instruction
on mental health conditions, substance abuse, skills to manage
emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and
responsible decision-making; and
(iii) suicide prevention, including
recognizing suicide-related risk factors and warning signs;
(C) physical education;
(D) fine arts;
(E) career and technology education;
(F) technology applications;
(G) religious literature, including the Hebrew
Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament, and its impact on
history and literature; and
(H) personal financial literacy.
(a-1) In adopting the essential knowledge and skills for the
health curriculum under Subsection (a)(2)(B), the State Board of
Education shall adopt essential knowledge and skills that address:
(1) the relationship between drug and alcohol use and
suicide;
(2) recognizing signs of suicidal tendencies and other
warning signs of suicide; and
(3) help-seeking behaviors and available community
suicide prevention services.
SECTION 3. Section 28.004, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (o) to read as
follows:
(c) The local school health advisory council's duties
include recommending:
(1) the number of hours of instruction to be provided
in health education;
(2) policies, procedures, strategies, and curriculum
appropriate for specific grade levels designed to prevent obesity,
cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and mental health
concerns, including suicide, through coordination of:
(A) health education;
(B) physical education and physical activity;
(C) nutrition services;
(D) parental involvement;
(E) instruction to prevent the use of
e-cigarettes, as defined by Section 161.081, Health and Safety
Code, and tobacco;
(F) school health services;
(G) counseling and guidance services;
(H) a safe and healthy school environment; and
(I) school employee wellness;
(3) appropriate grade levels and methods of
instruction for human sexuality instruction;
(4) strategies for integrating the curriculum
components specified by Subdivision (2) with the following elements
in a coordinated school health program for the district:
(A) school health services;
(B) counseling and guidance services;
(C) a safe and healthy school environment; and
(D) school employee wellness; and
(5) if feasible, joint use agreements or strategies
for collaboration between the school district and community
organizations or agencies.
(o) The local school health advisory council shall make
policy recommendations to the district to increase parental
awareness of suicide-related risk factors and warning signs and
available community suicide prevention services.
SECTION 4. Section 161.325(a-1), Health and Safety Code, as
amended by Chapter 714 (H.B. 4056) and Chapter 522 (S.B. 179), Acts
of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, is reenacted and
amended to read as follows:
(a-1) The list must include programs and practices in the
following areas:
(1) early mental health prevention and intervention;
(2) [mental health promotion;
[(3)] substance abuse prevention and intervention;
(3) [(4) substance abuse intervention;
[(5)] suicide prevention, intervention, and
postvention;
(4) [(6)] grief-informed and trauma-informed
practices;
(5) [(7)] building skills related to managing
emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and
responsible decision-making;
(6) [(8)] positive behavior interventions and
supports and positive youth development; and
(7) [(9)] safe, [and] supportive, and positive school
climate.
SECTION 5. Section 161.325, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by adding Subsection (a-4) and amending Subsections (b) and
(d) to read as follows:
(a-4) In this section, "postvention" includes activities
that promote healing necessary to reduce the risk of suicide by a
person affected by the suicide of another.
(b) The suicide prevention programs on the list must include
components that provide for training counselors, teachers, nurses,
administrators, and other staff, as well as law enforcement
officers and social workers who regularly interact with students,
to:
(1) recognize students at risk of committing suicide,
including students who are or may be the victims of or who engage in
bullying;
(2) recognize students displaying early warning signs
and a possible need for early mental health or substance abuse
intervention, which warning signs may include declining academic
performance, depression, anxiety, isolation, unexplained changes
in sleep or eating habits, and destructive behavior toward self and
others; [and]
(3) intervene effectively with students described by
Subdivision (1) or (2) by providing notice and referral to a parent
or guardian so appropriate action, such as seeking mental health or
substance abuse services, may be taken by a parent or guardian; and
(4) assist students in returning to school following
treatment of a mental health concern or suicide attempt.
(d) A school district shall [may] develop practices and
procedures concerning each area listed in Subsection (a-1),
including mental health promotion and intervention, substance
abuse prevention and intervention, and suicide prevention, that:
(1) include a procedure for providing notice of a
recommendation for early mental health or substance abuse
intervention regarding a student to a parent or guardian of the
student within a reasonable amount of time after the identification
of early warning signs as described by Subsection (b)(2);
(2) include a procedure for providing notice of a
student identified as at risk of committing suicide to a parent or
guardian of the student within a reasonable amount of time after the
identification of early warning signs as described by Subsection
(b)(2);
(3) establish that the district may develop a
reporting mechanism and may designate at least one person to act as
a liaison officer in the district for the purposes of identifying
students in need of early mental health or substance abuse
intervention or suicide prevention; [and]
(4) set out available counseling alternatives for a
parent or guardian to consider when their child is identified as
possibly being in need of early mental health or substance abuse
intervention or suicide prevention; and
(5) include procedures:
(A) to support the return of a student to school
following hospitalization or residential treatment for a mental
health condition or substance abuse; and
(B) for suicide prevention, intervention, and
postvention.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.