Georgia 2023-2024 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB1064 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	24 LC 49 1623
2	2	House Bill 1064
3	3	By: Representatives Schofield of the 63
4	4	rd
5	5	, Scott of the 76
6	6	th
7	7	, and Davis of the 87
8	8	th
9	9
10	10	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
11	11	AN ACT
12	12	To amend Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the
13	13	1
14	14	"Quality Basic Education Act," so as to provide for trauma informed school counselors in2
15	15	Georgia's public schools; to provide for the repeal of provisions for state funding for school3
16	16	counselors; to provide for state funding for one trauma informed school counselor for every4
17	17	150 full-time equivalent students; to provide for duties and responsibilities of trauma5
18	18	informed school counselors; to require the Professional Standards Commission to create a6
19	19	professional trauma informed school counselor endorsement for eligible certificated7
20	20	professional personnel; to provide for eligibility of individuals to receive such endorsement;8
21	21	to provide for eligibility for professional trauma informed school counselor programs; to9
22	22	provide for assessing the fidelity of training and implementation for individuals who receive10
23	23	such endorsement; to provide for related matters; to provide for a short title; to provide for11
24	24	an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.12
25	25	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:13
26	26	SECTION 1.14
27	27	This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Trauma Informed School Counselors Act."15
28	28	H. B. 1064
29	29	- 1 - 24 LC 49 1623
30	30	SECTION 2.
31	31	16
32	32	Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the "Quality17
33	33	Basic Education Act," is amended in Part 5, relating to program weights and funding18
34	34	requirements, by revising subsection (c) and adding a new subsection to Code Section19
35	35	20-2-182, relating to program weights to reflect funds for payment of salaries and benefits,20
36	36	maximum class size, reporting requirements, and application to specific school years, to read21
37	37	as follows:22
38	38	"(c) The program weights for the kindergarten, kindergarten early intervention, primary,23
39	39	primary grades early intervention, upper elementary, upper elementary grades early24
40	40	intervention, middle school, and alternative education programs and the program weights25
41	41	for the high school programs authorized pursuant to paragraph (4) of subsection (b) of26
42	42	Code Section 20-2-151, when multiplied by the base amount, shall reflect sufficient funds27
43	43	to pay the beginning salaries for at least one school counselor for every 450 full-time28
44	44	equivalent students. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2015 and thereafter, the program weights29
45	45	for the English for speakers of other languages program and the programs for persons with30
46	46	disabilities shall also earn school counselor funding. Further, beginning in Fiscal Year31
47	47	2016 and thereafter, the program weights for the program for intellectually gifted students32
48	48	and the remedial education program shall also earn school counselor funding. The duties33
49	49	and responsibilities for such school counselors shall be established by the state board to34
50	50	require a minimum of five of the six full-time equivalent program count segments of the35
51	51	counselor's time to be spent counseling or advising students or parents. This subsection
52	52	36
53	53	shall stand repealed and reserved on July 1, 2026."37
54	54	"(c.2)(1) As used in this subsection, the term 'trauma informed school counselor' means38
55	55	a certificated professional personnel with a professional trauma informed school39
56	56	counseling endorsement provided for in Code Section 20-2-209.2.40
57	57	(2) Beginning in Fiscal Year 2027 and thereafter, the program weights for the41
58	58	kindergarten, kindergarten early intervention, primary, primary grades early intervention,42
59	59	H. B. 1064
60	60	- 2 - 24 LC 49 1623
61	61	upper elementary, upper elementary grades early intervention, middle school, alternative43
62	62	education programs, high school programs authorized pursuant to paragraph (4) of44
63	63	subsection (b) of Code Section 20-2-151, English for speakers of other languages,45
64	64	persons with disabilities, for intellectually gifted students, and remedial education46
65	65	programs, when multiplied by the base amount, shall reflect sufficient funds to pay the47
66	66	beginning salaries for at least one trauma informed school counselor for every 15048
67	67	full-time equivalent students. The duties and responsibilities for such trauma informed49
68	68	counselors shall be established by the state board to require a minimum of five of the six50
69	69	full-time equivalent program count segments of the trauma informed counselor's time to51
70	70	be spent counseling or advising students or parents."52
71	71	SECTION 3.53
72	72	Said article is further amended in Subpart 1 of Part 6, relating to certificated professional54
73	73	personnel, by adding a new Code section to read as follows:55
74	74	"20-2-209.2.56
75	75	(a) As used in this Code section, the term:57
76	76	(1) 'Trauma' means the result of an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that58
77	77	is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or threatening and59
78	78	that has lasting adverse effects on the individual's functioning and physical, social,60
79	79	emotional, or spiritual well-being.61
80	80	(2) 'Trauma informed counseling' means an approach to providing mental health support62
81	81	and counseling services that recognizes the impact of trauma on individuals and seeks to63
82	82	create a safe and supportive environment that promotes healing and resilience.64
83	83	(b) No later than December 31, 2024, the Professional Standards Commission, in65
84	84	consultation with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities,66
85	85	shall create a professional trauma informed counseling endorsement for eligible certificated67
86	86	professional personnel who elect to complete a trauma informed counseling program which68
87	87	H. B. 1064
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89	89	meets the minimum requirements provided in subsection (d) of this Code section and which69
90	90	is approved by the Professional Standards Commission.70
91	91	(c) All eligible certificated professional personnel, as determined pursuant to rules and71
92	92	regulations of the Professional Standards Commission, who are employed in a public72
93	93	school in this state, complete a professional trauma informed counseling program approved73
94	94	by the Professional Standards Commission, and provide to the Professional Standards74
95	95	Commission verification of such completion from an approved provider shall receive the75
96	96	professional trauma informed counseling endorsement.76
97	97	(d) To be eligible for approval by the Professional Standards Commission, a professional77
98	98	trauma informed counseling program shall, at a minimum, cover the following topics:78
99	99	(1) Recognizing different types of trauma in school-age children and evaluating the79
100	100	impact of trauma on their daily functioning;80
101	101	(2) Assessing for trauma related symptoms in school-age children;81
102	102	(3) Understanding how traumatic experiences influence personal identity for school-age82
103	103	children and their ability to maintain healthy relationships;83
104	104	(4) Understanding cultural competency, developing the ability to work with students84
105	105	from diverse backgrounds, and being aware of how cultural differences may impact85
106	106	trauma experiences and healing;86
107	107	(5) Providing trauma-sensitive mental health support and counseling services to87
108	108	school-age children to foster lasting change;88
109	109	(6) Helping school-age children process present trauma while addressing core trauma89
110	110	from the past; 90
111	111	(7) Helping school-age children develop a clear understanding of techniques for91
112	112	emotional stabilization and positive self-care;92
113	113	(8) Helping school-age children understand personal agency, achieve resiliency, and93
114	114	create external anchors in the face of adversity; and94
115	115	H. B. 1064
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117	117	(9) Understanding that collaboration with other school personnel, including, but not95
118	118	limited to, teachers, school administrators, and school psychologists, is essential in96
119	119	providing comprehensive support to students who have experienced trauma.97
120	120	(e) The Professional Standards Commission, in consultation with the Department of98
121	121	Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, shall establish measures to assess the99
122	122	fidelity of training and implementation for individuals who receive the professional trauma100
123	123	informed counseling endorsement."101
124	124	SECTION 4.102
125	125	This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law103
126	126	without such approval.104
127	127	SECTION 5.105
128	128	All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.106
129	129	H. B. 1064
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