PUBLIC SCHOOLS: MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION, the official text

00Enrolled SB 41
01Relating to mental health education. 
02 _______________ 
03 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 
04 to read: 
05 LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the legislature that the Board of Education 
06 and Early Development develop guidelines for instruction in mental health in consultation 
07 with the Department of Health, the Department of Family and Community Services, regional 
08 tribal health organizations, and representatives of national and state mental health 
09 organizations. 
10 * Sec. 2. AS 14.03.016(a) is amended to read: 
11 (a) A local school board shall, in consultation with parents, teachers, and 
12 school administrators, adopt policies to promote the involvement of parents in the 
13 school district's education program. The policies must include procedures 
14 (1) recognizing the authority of a parent and allowing a parent to 
15 object to and withdraw the child from a standards-based assessment or test required by

01 the state; 
02 (2) recognizing the authority of a parent and allowing a parent to 
03 object to and withdraw the child from an activity, class, or program; 
04 (3) providing for parent notification not less than two weeks before 
05 any activity, class, or program that includes content involving human reproduction or 
06 sexual matters is provided to a child; 
07 (4) recognizing the authority of a parent and allowing a parent to 
08 withdraw the child from an activity, class, program, or standards-based assessment or 
09 test required by the state for a religious holiday, as defined by the parent; 
10 (5) providing a parent with an opportunity to review the content of an 
11 activity, class, performance standard, or program; 
12 (6) ensuring that, when a child is absent from an activity, class, 
13 program, or standards-based assessment or test required by the state under this section, 
14 the absence is not considered an unlawful absence under AS 14.30.020 if the child's 
15 parent withdrew the child from the activity, class, program, or standards-based 
16 assessment or test or gave permission for the child's absence; 
17 (7) providing for parent notification not less than two weeks before 
18 any class or program that provides instruction in mental health is provided to a 
19 child. 
20 * Sec. 3. AS 14.30.360(a) is amended to read: 
21 (a) Each district in the state public school system shall be encouraged to 
22 initiate and conduct a program in health education for kindergarten through grade 12. 
23 The program should include instruction in [PHYSICAL] health and personal safety 
24 including alcohol and drug abuse education, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), 
25 early cancer prevention and detection, dental health, family health including infant 
26 care, environmental health, mental health, physical health, the identification and 
27 prevention of child abuse, child abduction, neglect, sexual abuse, and domestic 
28 violence, and appropriate use of health services. 
29 * Sec. 4. AS 14.30.360(b) is amended to read: 
30 (b) The state board shall establish guidelines for a health and personal safety 
31 education program, including guidelines for developmentally appropriate

01instruction in mental health. The state board shall use medically and scientifically 
02 based content when developing the guidelines for developmentally appropriate 
03 instruction in mental health and may not include in the guidelines any political, 
04 ideological, or advocacy-oriented content that is unrelated to student mental 
05 health. In developing guidelines for developmentally appropriate instruction in 
06 mental health, the state board shall consult with the Department of Health, the 
07 Department of Family and Community Services, regional tribal health 
08 organizations, and representatives of national and state mental health 
09 organizations. Personal safety guidelines shall be developed in consultation with the 
10 Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Upon request, the Department of 
11 Education and Early Development, the Department of Health, the Department of 
12 Family and Community Services, and the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual 
13 Assault shall provide technical assistance to school districts in the development of 
14 personal safety curricula. A school health education specialist position shall be 
15 established and funded in the department to coordinate the program statewide. 
16 Adequate funds to enable curriculum and resource development, adequate consultation 
17 to school districts, and a program of teacher training in health and personal safety 
18 education shall be provided. 
19 * Sec. 5. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 
20 read: 
21 REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE. Two years after the effective date of this Act, the 
22 state Board of Education and Early Development shall submit a report to the senate secretary 
23 and chief clerk of the house of representatives and notify the legislature that the report is 
24 available. The report must 
25 (1) include a copy of the guidelines for developmentally appropriate 
26 instruction in mental health developed by the state Board of Education and Early 
27 Development as required under AS 14.30.360(b), as amended by sec. 4 of this Act; and 
28 (2) describe the process the state Board of Education and Early Development 
29 used to develop the guidelines. 
30 * Sec. 6. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 
31 read:

01 TRANSITION. The state Board of Education and Early Development shall develop 
02 the mental health guidelines required by AS 14.30.360(b), as amended by sec. 4 of this Act, 
03 within two years after the effective date of this Act.