Bill Text: TX SB831 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to a list of mental health, substance abuse, and suicide prevention programs that may be selected for implementation by public schools.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2013-06-14 - Effective on 9/1/13 [SB831 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-SB831-Enrolled.html
S.B. No. 831 |
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relating to a list of mental health, substance abuse, and suicide | ||
prevention programs that may be selected for implementation by | ||
public schools. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter O-1, Chapter 161, | ||
Health and Safety Code, is amended to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER O-1. [ |
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SECTION 2. The heading to Section 161.325, Health and | ||
Safety Code, is amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 161.325. [ |
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INTERVENTION, SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION, AND | ||
SUICIDE PREVENTION. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 161.325, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended by amending Subsections (a), (b), (d), (e), and (i) and | ||
adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to read as follows: | ||
(a) The department, in coordination with the Texas | ||
Education Agency and regional education service centers, shall | ||
provide and annually update a list of recommended best | ||
practice-based programs in the areas specified under Subsection | ||
(a-1) [ |
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middle, and high schools within the general education | ||
setting. Each school district may select from the list a program | ||
or programs appropriate for implementation in the district. | ||
(a-1) The list must include programs in the following areas: | ||
(1) early mental health intervention; | ||
(2) mental health promotion and positive youth | ||
development; | ||
(3) substance abuse prevention; | ||
(4) substance abuse intervention; and | ||
(5) suicide prevention. | ||
(a-2) The department, the Texas Education Agency, and each | ||
regional education service center shall make the list easily | ||
accessible on their websites. | ||
(b) The 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. | ||
(d) The board of trustees of each school district may adopt | ||
a policy concerning [ |
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intervention, substance abuse prevention and intervention, and | ||
suicide prevention that: | ||
(1) establishes 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) establishes 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) establishes 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) sets 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. | ||
(e) The policy must prohibit the use without the prior | ||
consent of a student's parent or guardian of a medical screening of | ||
the student as part of the process of identifying whether the | ||
student is possibly in need of early mental health or substance | ||
abuse intervention or suicide prevention. | ||
(i) Nothing in this section is intended to interfere with | ||
the rights of parents or guardians and the decision-making | ||
regarding the best interest of the child. Policy and procedures | ||
adopted in accordance with this section are intended to notify a | ||
parent or guardian of a need for mental health or substance abuse | ||
intervention so that a parent or guardian may take appropriate | ||
action. Nothing in this section shall be construed as giving school | ||
districts the authority to prescribe medications. Any and all | ||
medical decisions are to be made by a parent or guardian of a | ||
student. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 831 passed the Senate on | ||
April 11, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that | ||
the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 23, 2013, by the | ||
following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 831 passed the House, with | ||
amendment, on May 20, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 147, | ||
Nays 0, two present not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
Approved: | ||
______________________________ | ||
Date | ||
______________________________ | ||
Governor |