| 1 | 1 | | 85R12356 GCB-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Lucio S.B. No. 1687 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to a list of best practice-based programs and |
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| 8 | 8 | | research-based practices in certain areas for implementation in |
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| 9 | 9 | | public schools. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Sections 161.325(a), (a-1), (b), and (c), Health |
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| 12 | 12 | | and Safety Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (a) The department, in coordination with the Texas |
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| 14 | 14 | | Education Agency and regional education service centers, shall |
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| 15 | 15 | | provide and annually update a list of recommended best |
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| 16 | 16 | | practice-based programs and research-based practices in the areas |
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| 17 | 17 | | specified under Subsection (a-1) for implementation in public |
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| 18 | 18 | | elementary, junior high, middle, and high schools within the |
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| 19 | 19 | | general education setting. Each school district may select from |
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| 20 | 20 | | the list a program or programs appropriate for implementation in |
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| 21 | 21 | | the district. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (a-1) The list must include programs and practices in the |
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| 23 | 23 | | following areas: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (1) early mental health intervention; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (2) building skills related to managing emotions, |
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| 26 | 26 | | establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and |
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| 27 | 27 | | responsible decision-making [mental health promotion and positive |
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| 28 | 28 | | youth development]; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (3) substance abuse prevention; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (4) substance abuse intervention; [and] |
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| 31 | 31 | | (5) suicide prevention; |
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| 32 | 32 | | (6) trauma-informed practices; |
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| 33 | 33 | | (7) positive school climates; and |
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| 34 | 34 | | (8) positive behavior supports. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (b) The suicide prevention programs on the list must include |
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| 36 | 36 | | components that provide for training counselors, teachers, nurses, |
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| 37 | 37 | | administrators, and other staff, as well as law enforcement |
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| 38 | 38 | | officers and social workers who regularly interact with students, |
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| 39 | 39 | | to: |
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| 40 | 40 | | (1) recognize students at risk of committing suicide, |
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| 41 | 41 | | including students who are or may be the victims of or who engage in |
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| 42 | 42 | | bullying; |
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| 43 | 43 | | (2) recognize students displaying early warning signs |
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| 44 | 44 | | and a possible need for early mental health or substance abuse |
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| 45 | 45 | | intervention, which warning signs may include declining academic |
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| 46 | 46 | | performance, depression, anxiety, isolation, unexplained changes |
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| 47 | 47 | | in sleep or eating habits, and destructive behavior toward self and |
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| 48 | 48 | | others; and |
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| 49 | 49 | | (3) intervene effectively with students described by |
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| 50 | 50 | | Subdivision (1) or (2) by providing notice and referral to a parent |
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| 51 | 51 | | or guardian so appropriate action, such as seeking mental health or |
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| 52 | 52 | | substance abuse services, may be taken by a parent or guardian. |
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| 53 | 53 | | (c) In developing the list of best practice-based programs |
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| 54 | 54 | | and research-based practices, the department and the Texas |
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| 55 | 55 | | Education Agency shall consider: |
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| 56 | 56 | | (1) any existing suicide prevention method developed |
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| 57 | 57 | | by a school district; and |
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| 58 | 58 | | (2) any Internet or online course or program developed |
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| 59 | 59 | | in this state or another state that is based on best practices |
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| 60 | 60 | | recognized by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services |
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| 61 | 61 | | Administration or the Suicide Prevention Resource Center. |
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| 62 | 62 | | SECTION 2. Section 21.044(c-1), Education Code, is amended |
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| 63 | 63 | | to read as follows: |
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| 64 | 64 | | (c-1) Any minimum academic qualifications for a certificate |
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| 65 | 65 | | specified under Subsection (a) that require a person to possess a |
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| 66 | 66 | | bachelor's degree must also require that the person receive, as |
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| 67 | 67 | | part of the training required to obtain that certificate, |
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| 68 | 68 | | instruction regarding mental health, substance abuse, and youth |
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| 69 | 69 | | suicide. The instruction required must: |
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| 70 | 70 | | (1) be provided through a program selected from the |
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| 71 | 71 | | list of recommended best practice-based programs and |
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| 72 | 72 | | research-based practices established under Section 161.325, Health |
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| 73 | 73 | | and Safety Code; and |
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| 74 | 74 | | (2) include effective strategies for teaching and |
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| 75 | 75 | | intervening with students with mental or emotional disorders, |
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| 76 | 76 | | including de-escalation techniques and positive behavioral |
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| 77 | 77 | | interventions and supports. |
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| 78 | 78 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 79 | 79 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 80 | 80 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 81 | 81 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 82 | 82 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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