HLS 23RS-563 ENGROSSED
2023 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 353
BY REPRESENTATIVE MARCELLE
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
STUDENTS: Provides relative to student behavior, discipline, and behavioral and mental
health
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:271.1(B)(2), 282.4(C)(1)(d) and (F), and 404(A) and to enact
3 R.S. 17:271.1(B)(5) and 437.2(F) and R.S. 40:31.3(B)(6), relative to student
4 behavioral and mental health; to provide relative to required instruction on mental
5 health; to provide relative to programs on suicide prevention and substance abuse
6 prevention; to require the state Department of Education to develop and administer
7 a pilot program for implementing certain screenings; to require the registration of
8 school health centers with the office of public health; and to provide for related
9 matters.
10Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
11 Section 1. R.S. 17:271.1(B)(2), 282.4(C)(1)(d) and (F), and 404(A) are hereby
12amended and reenacted and R.S. 17:271.1(B)(5) and 437.2(F) are hereby enacted to read as
13follows:
14 §271.1. Mental health; required instruction
15 * * *
16 B. The instruction shall include, at minimum, information on the following:
17 * * *
18 (2) The relationship and the difference between mental health and physical
19 health.
20 * * *
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HB NO. 353
1 (5) The management of stress and anxiety.
2 * * *
3 §282.4. Youth suicide prevention programs; student safety and violence and social
4 isolation prevention training; policies; intent; rules; services; funding
5 * * *
6 C. Any city, parish, or other local public school system offering a youth
7 suicide prevention program established pursuant to this Section shall do so in
8 accordance with such rules and regulations adopted by the state board and shall
9 report its participation to the state Department of Education. The department shall
10 designate such a school as a Suicide Prevention Certified School and maintain an
11 updated list of such schools on its website. A youth suicide prevention program may
12 include but shall not be limited to the following:
13 (1) Classroom instruction, via in-person, video, or a combination of in-
14 person and video training, integrated into the curricula designed to achieve any of the
15 following objectives:
16 * * *
17 (d) Inform students of the available community youth suicide prevention
18 services and post information about these services on the school system's website.
19 * * *
20 F.(1) Beginning not later than the 2020-2021 school year, the governing
21 authority of each Each public and approved nonpublic secondary school that issues
22 student identification cards shall may post on its website have printed on the cards
23 the following information:
24 (1) (a) The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline hotline number.
25 (2) (b) A local suicide prevention hotline number, if available.
26 (2) The governing authority of each public and approved nonpublic
27 secondary school that issues student identification cards shall have printed on the
28 cards the information provided in Subparagraphs (1)(a) and (b) of this Subsection.
29 * * *
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HB NO. 353
1 §404. Establishment of programs of substance abuse
2 A. Each city and parish school board shall establish and maintain in every
3 school such grade appropriate programs of alcohol, drug, and substance abuse
4 prevention, education, information, and counseling as are developed by the section
5 on drug free schools and communities, and approved by the State Board of
6 Elementary and Secondary Education for inclusion in the school program as required
7 in Subsection B of this Section. The programs may include providing the website
8 and phone number of at least one national organization specializing in substance
9 abuse for adolescents. Each school board may also post this contact information on
10 its website.
11 * * *
12 §437.2. Adverse childhood experience education; in-service training; pilot program
13 * * *
14 F.(1) The state Department of Education shall develop and administer a pilot
15 program for the purpose of screening students for adverse childhood experiences and
16 mental health and behavioral issues and providing related services with respect to
17 mental and behavioral health.
18 (2) The department shall select three school systems to participate in the
19 pilot program.
20 (3) In developing and administering the program, the department shall
21 consult with experts in the fields of mental health, behavioral health, and trauma-
22 informed restorative services.
23 Section 2. R.S. 40:31.3(B)(6) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
24 §31.3. Adolescent school health initiative; health centers in schools
25 * * *
26 B. The office of public health shall:
27 * * *
28 (6) Require that centers be registered with the office of public health.
29 * * *
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DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 353 Engrossed 2023 Regular Session Marcelle
Abstract: Provides relative to student behavioral and mental health.
Present law requires instruction on mental health and lists the minimum information to be
included. Proposed law adds the difference between mental and physical health and the
management of stress and anxiety to the list.
Present law authorizes youth suicide prevention programs to include certain components,
one of which is informing students of available community youth suicide prevention
services. Proposed law includes posting information on school system website in this
component.
Present law requires the governing authority of each public and approved nonpublic
secondary school that issues student identification cards to have printed on the cards the
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline hotline number and, if available, a local suicide
prevention hotline number. Proposed law additionally authorizes each such school to post
this information on its website.
Present law requires school boards to establish substance abuse prevention programs.
Proposed law adds that the programs may include providing the website and phone number
of at least one national organization specializing in substance abuse for adolescents and that
school boards may also post this contact information on their websites.
Present law provides for in-service training for school employees on adverse childhood
experiences (known as ACEs). Proposed law requires the Dept. of Education to develop and
administer a pilot program for the purpose of implementing ACEs and mental and behavioral
health screenings, select three school systems to participate in the program, and consult with
experts in developing and administering the program.
Present law requires the office of public health (OPH) to establish an adolescent school
health initiative to facilitate and encourage development of comprehensive health centers in
public middle and high schools and provides certain requirements for OPH with respect to
this initiative. Proposed law additionally requires OPH to require such school health centers
to register with OPH.
(Amends R.S. 17:271.1(B)(2), 282.4(C)(1)(d) and (F), and 404(A); Adds R.S.
17:271.1(B)(5) and 437.2(F) and R.S. 40:31.3(B)(6))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Education to the
original bill:
1. Remove proposed law relative to school absences, Advisory Council on Student
Behavior and Discipline membership, willful disobedience, and eating disorder
instruction.
2. Authorize rather than require information about suicide and substance abuse to
be posted on websites.
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3. Expand purpose of pilot program to include mental and behavioral health
screening.
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