Bill Text: CA AB456 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

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

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Bill Title: Public postsecondary education: campus mental health hotlines: report.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-08-15 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB456 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB456-Introduced.html

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 456

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Introduced by Assembly Member Maienschein

February 06, 2023

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An act to amend Section 66027.8 of the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 456, as introduced, Maienschein. Public postsecondary education: campus mental health hotlines.

(1) Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the California State University under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the University of California under the administration of the Regents of the University of California as the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in the state. Existing law authorizes each campus of the California State University, the California Community Colleges, and the University of California to establish a campus mental health hotline for students to access mental health services remotely.

This bill would instead require each campus of the California State University and the California Community Colleges without a campus mental health hotline, and would request the University of California, to establish a campus mental health hotline for students to access mental health services remotely that operates during working hours, as provided. The bill would authorize a campus to utilize text hotlines or online messaging platforms offered by the campus if a verbal hotline cannot be established. The bill would require a campus mental health hotline to direct a student to specified persons, including, among others, to a licensed mental health therapist. The bill would, outside of working hours, authorize a campus mental health hotline to direct a caller to specified services and phone numbers, including, among others, to 911.

(2) Existing law requires each campus of the California State University and the California Community Colleges, and requests each campus of the University of California, with a campus mental health hotline to have printed on either side of student identification cards the telephone number of the campus mental health hotline for a student identification card issued to a student on or after January 1, 2023, as specified. Existing law also requires each campus of the California State University and the California Community Colleges, and requests each campus of the University of California, without a campus mental health hotline to have printed on either side of student identification cards the telephone number of their city’s or county’s mental health hotline for a student identification card issued to a student on or after January 1, 2023, as specified.

This bill would instead require each campus of the California State University and the California Community Colleges, and would request each campus of the University of California, to have printed on either side of the student identification cards the telephone number of the campus mental health hotline, as provided.

(3) By imposing new duties on community college districts, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Digest Key

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

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Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 Section 66027.8 of the Education Code is amended to read:

66027.8.

 (a) (1)Each campus of the California State University and the California Community Colleges with a campus mental health hotline shall, and each campus of the University of California with a campus mental health hotline is requested to, have printed on either side of student identification cards the telephone number of the campus mental health hotline.

(2)Each campus of the California State University and the California Community Colleges without a campus mental health line shall, and each campus of the University of California without a campus mental health hotline is requested to, have printed on either side of student identification cards the telephone number of their city’s or county’s mental health hotline.

(b) Subdivision (a) applies to a student identification card issued for the first time to a student, and to a student identification card issued to replace a damaged or lost student identification card, anytime on or after January 1, 2023.

(c) (1) Each campus of the California State University, University and the California Community Colleges, and the University of California without a campus mental health hotline may Colleges without a campus mental health hotline shall, and the University of California is requested to, establish a campus mental health hotline for students to access mental health services remotely. remotely that operates during working hours. Each campus may establish its working hours. If a verbal hotline cannot be established, a campus may utilize text hotlines or online messaging platforms offered by the campus.

(2) A campus mental health hotline shall direct a student to at least one of the following options:

(A) A licensed mental health therapist.

(B) A peer mental health trained support staff.

(C) A psychiatrist.

(3) Outside of working hours, a campus mental health hotline may direct a caller to any of the following:

(A) Offline mental health services, including, but not limited to, messaging with the campus’s health center or to off-campus services, such as a national suicide hotline, a California 988 mental health crisis hotline, or a local health center that offers mental health services.

(B) In the case of mental emergencies, to a local or national hotline number that operates 24 hours per day and seven days per week.

(C) In the case of physical emergencies, to 911.

SEC. 2.

 If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.