49429.5.
(a) On or before December 31, 2022, a school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school shall have at least one mental health professional for every 600 400 pupils generally accessible to pupils on campus during school hours. On or before December 31, 2022, a school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school with fewer than 600 400
pupils shall do one of the following:(1) Have at least one mental health professional generally accessible to pupils on campus during school hours.
(2) Employ at least one mental health professional to provide services to pupils at multiple schools.
(3) Enter into a memorandum of understanding with a county agency or community-based organization for at least one mental health professional employed by the agency or organization to provide services to pupils.
(b) The role of a mental health professional required pursuant to this section shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following:
(1) Providing individual and small group counseling supports to individual pupils as well as pupil groups to address social-emotional and mental health concerns.
(2) Facilitating collaboration and coordination between school and community providers to support pupils and their families by assisting families in identifying and accessing additional mental health services within the community as needed.
(3) Promoting school climate and culture through evidence-informed strategies and programs by collaborating with school staff to develop best practices for behavioral health management and classroom climate.
(4) Providing professional development to staff in diverse areas, including, but not limited to, behavior
management strategies, mental health support training, trauma-informed practices, and professional self-care.
(c) A mental health professional required pursuant to this section who does not hold a services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services as described in Section 44266 or a services credential with a specialization in health for a school nurse as described in Section 44267.5 shall work with pupils only under the supervision of an individual who holds a services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services as described in Section 44266 or a services credential with a specialization in administrative services as described in Section 44270.2.
(d) A school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school may employ
community mental health workers, cultural brokers, or peer providers to supplement the services provided by mental health professionals if they have a current certificate of clearance from the Commission on Teacher Credentialing and are supervised in their school-based activities by an individual who holds a services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services as described in Section 44266 or a services credential with a specialization in administrative services as described in Section 44270.2.
(e) A school of a school district or county office of education and a charter school with pupils who are eligible to receive Medi-Cal benefits shall do both of the following:
(1) Seek reimbursement, to the extent applicable, through the Local
Educational Agency Medi-Cal Billing Option for services provided pursuant to this section.
(2) Seek reimbursement, to the extent applicable, through the School-Based Medi-Cal Administrative Activities program for administrative costs related to providing services pursuant to this section.
(f) (1) This section does not alter the scope of practice for any mental health professional in a manner that is not authorized pursuant to existing law.
(2) This section does not authorize the delivery of mental health services in a setting or in a manner that is not authorized pursuant to existing law.
(g) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) “Community mental health worker” or “cultural broker” means a frontline public health worker with behavioral health training who works for pay or as a volunteer in association with the local health care systems and usually shares ethnicity, language, socioeconomic status, or life experiences with the pupils served. A community mental health worker sometimes offers interpretation and translation services and culturally appropriate health education and information, assists pupils and family members in receiving the care they need, and gives, to the extent permitted by law, informal counseling and guidance.
(2) “Mental health professional” includes any of the following:
(A) An individual who holds a services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services as described in Section 44266 that authorizes the individual to perform school counseling, school psychology, or school social work.
(B) An individual who holds a services credential with a specialization in health for a school nurse as described in Section 44267.5.
(C) A professional licensed by the State of California to provide mental health services, including, but not limited to, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and clinical counselors.
(D) A marriage and family therapist
intern as described in subdivision (b) of Section 4980.03 of the Business and Professions Code.
(E) A marriage and family therapist trainee as described in subdivision (c) of Section 4980.03 of the Business and Professions Code.
(F) A clinical counselor intern as described in subdivision (f) of Section 4999.12 of the Business and Professions Code.
(G) A clinical counselor trainee as described in subdivision (g) of Section 4999.12 of the Business and Professions Code.
(3) “Peer provider” means a person who draws on lived experience with mental illness or a substance use disorder and recovery, bolstered by specialized training, to deliver valuable support
services in a mental health setting. Peer providers may include people who have lived experience as clients, family members, or caretakers of individuals living with mental illness. Peer providers offer culturally competent services that promote engagement, socialization, recovery, self-sufficiency, self-advocacy, development of natural supports, identification of strengths, and maintenance of skills learned in other support services. Services provided by peer providers include, but are not limited to, support, coaching, facilitation, or education that is individualized to the pupil.