§ 49428.5
537 words·~2 min read·
/ca/education-code/49428-5A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
(a)On or before the start of the 2023–24 school year, each schoolsite in a school district, county office of education, or charter school, serving pupils in any of grades 6 to 12, inclusive, shall create a poster that identifies approaches and shares resources regarding pupil mental health.
(b)The schoolsite may partner with pupils enrolled at that schoolsite, local, state, or federal agencies, or nonprofit organizations, for purposes of the design and content of the poster.
(c)The language in the poster shall be age appropriate and culturally relevant, and the schoolsite may partner with pupils enrolled at that schoolsite, local, state, or federal agencies, or nonprofit organizations, for these purposes.
(d)The poster shall be displayed in English and any primary language spoken by 15 percent or more of the pupils enrolled at the schoolsite as determined pursuant to Section 48985.
(e)The poster shall be no smaller than 8.5 by 11 inches and use at least 12-point font.
(f)The poster shall display, at a minimum, all of the following:
(1)Identification of common behaviors of those struggling with mental health or who are in a mental health crisis, including, but not limited to, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, emotional dysregulation, bipolar episodes, and schizophrenic episodes.
(2)A list of, and contact information for, schoolsite-specific resources, including, but not limited to, counselors, wellness centers, and peer counselors.
(3)A list of, and contact information for, community resources, including, but not limited to, suicide prevention, substance abuse, child crisis, nonpolice mental health hotlines, public behavioral health services, and community mental health centers.
(4)A list of positive coping strategies to use when dealing with mental health, including, but not limited to, meditation, mindfulness, yoga, breathing exercises, grounding skills, journaling, acceptance, and seeking therapy.
(5)A list of negative coping strategies to avoid, including, but not limited to, substance abuse or self-medication, violence and abuse, self-harm, compulsivity, dissociation, catastrophizing, and isolating.
(A)Commencing with the 2023–24 school year, the poster shall be prominently and conspicuously displayed in appropriate public areas that are accessible to, and commonly frequented by, pupils at each schoolsite.
(B)The governing board of a school district, governing body of a charter school, and county board of education shall have full discretion to select additional appropriate public areas that are accessible to, and commonly frequented by, pupils to display the poster at the schoolsite. These areas may include, but are not limited to, bathrooms, locker rooms, classrooms, classroom hallways, gymnasiums, auditoriums, cafeterias, wellness centers, and offices.
(2)The poster shall be digitized and distributed online to pupils through social media, internet websites, portals, and learning platforms at the beginning of each school year.
(3)To assist school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools in developing policies for pupil suicide prevention, the department shall develop and maintain a model poster, in collaboration with mental health experts, pupils, and administrators, in accordance with this section to serve as a guide for school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools.
(h)No basis for civil liability is created by this section for any school district, county office of education, or charter school serving pupils in any of grades 6 to 12, inclusive.