Bill Text: CA AB3063 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Pupil and school employee health: trauma-informed care: grant program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-05-05 - Re-referred to Com. on ED. [AB3063 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB3063-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Assembly  May 04, 2020

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 3063

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Introduced by Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia

February 21, 2020

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An act relating to mental health. An act to add Article 6.5 (commencing with Section 49485) to Chapter 9 of Part 27 of Division 4 of Title 2, relating to pupil and school employee health, and making an appropriation therefor.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 3063, as amended, Eduardo Garcia. Mental health: trauma-informed care training. Pupil and school employee health: trauma-informed care: grant program.

Existing law establishes the State Department of Education, under the administration of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and assigns to the department numerous duties relating to the financing, governance, and guidance of the public elementary and secondary schools in this state. Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to give diligent care to the health and physical development of pupils.

This bill would appropriate $6,000,000 from the General Fund to the department for the administration of a grant program for purposes of improving the capacity of local educational agencies to provide culturally focused trauma-informed training to pupils and school staff. The bill would require a local educational agency that applies for a grant to identify a nonprofit organization that will provide culturally focused trauma-informed training to the local educational agency’s pupils and school staff and a culturally focused wellness plan that the local educational agency will implement with the grant funds received, as provided.

Existing law provides for the regulation of the practice of medicine by the Medical Board of California, prescribes the educational requirements for licensure as a physician and surgeon, and requires the board to adopt continuing education standards and contents for licensees. Existing law regulates other healing arts licensees by boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs and establishes continuing education requirements for those licensees, including psychologists, clinical social workers, and licensed educational psychologists, among others.

Existing law provides for a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state and establishes various programs of professional development for teachers and administrators.

This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would require trauma-informed care training as part of continuing medical education, medical school curriculum, teacher and school administrator training, social workers, and other mental health professionals. This bill would also express related legislative findings and declarations.

Digest Key

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

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Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 Article 6.5 (commencing with Section 49485) is added to Chapter 9 of Part 27 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read:

Article  6.5. Culturally Focused Trauma-Informed Care

49485.

 (a) The sum of six million dollars ($6,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the department in the 2020–21 fiscal year for purposes of this section.

(b) The department shall establish and administer a grant program for purposes of improving the capacity of local educational agencies to provide culturally focused trauma-informed training to pupils and school staff. The department shall allocate grants only to a local educational agency that applies pursuant to subdivision (c).

(c) To receive a grant pursuant to this section, a local educational agency shall apply to the department. A local educational agency’s application shall identify both of the following:

(1) A nonprofit organization that acknowledges the effects of trauma and the benefits of a healing-informed approach in a culturally centered manner that will provide culturally focused trauma-informed training to the local educational agency’s pupils and school staff.

(2) A culturally focused wellness plan that the local educational agency will implement with the grant funds. At a minimum, the plan shall identify a culturally based approach to providing trauma-informed care in order to address the mental health needs of pupils and school staff. The plan shall be developed in consultation with school and community stakeholders, representatives of the nonprofit organization identified in paragraph (1), and mental health professionals and trauma experts.

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

SECTION 1.

(a)The Legislature finds and declares as follows:

(1)The current federal administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement policies and inflammatory remarks toward immigrant communities have negatively impacted the mental health and well-being of children in immigrant families.

(2)To tackle this program, professionals working with children, including social service providers, teachers, school administrators, and other health providers, need training to better support children in immigrant families and to recognize the trauma experienced by separation of families.

(3)Providers for immigrant families have identified several gaps in resources and training that would allow them to serve the mental well-being of immigrant families and their children more effectively, including educational resources for the providers and families as well as referrals and other community resources.

(4)Provider uncertainty about the country’s highly politicized immigration policy also limits their ability to answer families’ questions about their safety and makes clear the need to better inform providers.

(b)It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would require trauma-informed care training as part of continuing medical education, medical school curriculum, teacher and school administrator training, social workers, and other mental health professionals.