Bill Text: CA AB1955 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth Act.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-06-26 - From committee: That the Senate amendments be concurred in. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (June 26). [AB1955 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB1955-Introduced.html

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1955

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Introduced by Assembly Member Ward

January 29, 2024

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An act to amend Section 33319 of the Education Code, relating to pupil health.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1955, as introduced, Ward. Pupil health: school-based health services and school-based mental health services.

Existing law establishes the State Department of Education in state government, and vests the department with specified powers and duties relating to the state’s public school system, including encouraging and assisting school districts to improve and monitor the health of their pupils. Existing law requires the department, as part of that assistance, to provide information and guidance to schools that request the information and guidance to establish “Health Days” to provide screenings for common health problems among pupils.

This bill would require the department to include county offices of education and charter schools in the above-described provisions. The bill would require the department to encourage school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to participate in programs that offer reimbursement for school-based health services and school-based mental health services, as provided.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 33319 of the Education Code is amended to read:

33319.

 (a) The State Department of Education department shall encourage and assist school districts local educational agencies to improve and monitor the health of their pupils. The department shall provide guidance and assist school districts local educational agencies to secure the voluntary assistance of local health professionals, schools of medicine, schools of public health, schools of nursing, voluntary health agencies, and other appropriate entities in order to provide pupil health screening and appropriate medical referrals as well as and to provide valuable health information to pupils and their parents. The department shall encourage school districts local educational agencies to contact and cooperate with the State Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Board, with local maternal, child, and adolescent health boards, boards and child health and disability prevention programs established pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 124025) of Chapter 3 of Part 2 of Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code.

As

(b) As part of this assistance, the State Department of Education the assistance provided to local educational agencies pursuant to subdivision (a), the department shall provide information and guidance to schools local educational agencies that request the information and guidance, guidance to establish “Health Days” in order to provide screenings for common health problems among pupils as well as and to provide information to pupils and parents on the prevention of illness, proper nutrition, and other aspects of good health. The Health Days should be organized and staffed by school nurses working in cooperation with volunteers from schools of medicine, schools of public health, schools of nursing, voluntary health agencies, health professionals, local maternal, child, and adolescent health boards, and other appropriate entities. All medical Medical screenings and services conducted pursuant to this section shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 49400) of Part 27. 27 of Division 4.

(c) The department shall encourage local educational agencies to participate in programs that offer reimbursement for school-based health services and school-based mental health services, including, but not limited to, both of the following:

(1) The Medi-Cal billing option for local educational agencies pursuant to Section 14115.8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(2) The statewide fee schedule for school-linked outpatient mental health or substance use disorder treatment pursuant to Section 5961.4 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(d) For purposes of this section, a “local educational agency” means a school district, county office of education, or charter school.