Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 1 and Title 49, Chapter 6.
Present law requires the department of education to develop an evidence-based training program on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) for school leaders and teachers. "ACEs" are stressful or traumatic events experienced by a minor child, such as a child witnessing, or being the victim of, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, domestic violence, substance abuse, mental illness, parental separation or divorce, and incarceration. Present law authorizes LEAs to develop their own ACEs training program to make available to the LEA's school personnel.<br /> <br /> This bill adds a requirement for local boards of education to adopt a policy and develop plans to provide mental and behavioral health services to students with ACEs. As part of the policy, each LEA must annually conduct at least one ACEs training seminar for parents and community-based health providers. <br /> <br /> If an LEA school employee finds that a student has four or more ACEs, the employee must report the finding to the school principal or school counselor; this requirement will not prevent or absolve an employee who has knowledge or reasonable cause to suspect that a student is a victim of child abuse or child sexual abuse from acting in accordance with the reporting requirements of present law. This bill provides that:<br /> <br /> (1) The school principal or the school counselor must confer with the student's parents and refer the student to a school mental health counselor; and<br /> <br /> (2) If the school principal or school counselor fails to refer a student within 10 days of the initial report, the director of schools or the director's designee must, within 25 days of the initial report, refer the student to a community-based behavioral health provider.<br /> <br /> The provisions described above in (1) and (2) will not apply if the school principal, school counselor, director of schools, or the director's designee are not able to obtain parental consent for the referral.<br />
Present law requires the department of education to develop an evidence-based training program on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) for school leaders and teachers. "ACEs" are stressful or traumatic events experienced by a minor child, such as a child witnessing, or being the victim of, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, domestic violence, substance abuse, mental illness, parental separation or divorce, and incarceration. Present law authorizes LEAs to develop their own ACEs training program to make available to the LEA's school personnel.<br /> <br /> This bill adds a requirement for local boards of education to adopt a policy and develop plans to provide mental and behavioral health services to students with ACEs. As part of the policy, each LEA must annually conduct at least one ACEs training seminar for parents and community-based health providers. <br /> <br /> If an LEA school employee finds that a student has four or more ACEs, the employee must report the finding to the school principal or school counselor; this requirement will not prevent or absolve an employee who has knowledge or reasonable cause to suspect that a student is a victim of child abuse or child sexual abuse from acting in accordance with the reporting requirements of present law. This bill provides that:<br /> <br /> (1) The school principal or the school counselor must confer with the student's parents and refer the student to a school mental health counselor; and<br /> <br /> (2) If the school principal or school counselor fails to refer a student within 10 days of the initial report, the director of schools or the director's designee must, within 25 days of the initial report, refer the student to a community-based behavioral health provider.<br /> <br /> The provisions described above in (1) and (2) will not apply if the school principal, school counselor, director of schools, or the director's designee are not able to obtain parental consent for the referral.<br />
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