49591.
For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:(a) “Evidence-based” means using research that is available and has been tested for efficacy and effectiveness intended to best fit the population served.
(b) “Evidence-based, Tier 1 social-emotional, behavioral, and mental health supports” include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
(1) Providing support to pupils and families to address social-emotional and mental health concerns.
(2) Workshops and seminars for parents and
families to provide social-emotional preventive interventions, including positive parenting tools.
(3) Facilitating collaboration and coordination between school and community-based providers to support pupils and families to obtain access to behavioral and mental health supports in school.
(4) Providing families with referrals to clinical care in order to support pupils’ mental health needs within the community, as needed.
(5) Facilitating behavioral training programs for school staff, including, but not limited to, behavior management strategies, mental health support training, trauma-informed practices, and professional self-care such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Community Approach to
Learning Mindfully (CALM), and Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE).
(c) “Local educational agency” means a county office of education, school district, or charter school.
(d) “Model Tier 1 Support” means a coordinated and holistic approach that leverages evidence-based, Tier 1 social-emotional, behavioral, and mental health supports for all pupils, including pupils with a history of trauma.
(e) “Tier 1” means supports that include, but are not limited to, activities that promote good mental health and help prevent mental health concerns, prevention and early intervention services for pupils that are higher risk for mental health concerns,
short-term care, positive behaviors and relationships, social-emotional learning, coping skills for stress and anxiety, peer support, success coaching for pupils, short-term crisis intervention and deescalation, screening, and initiating and facilitating referrals to community-based services for more intensive clinical treatment as required.
49591.1.
(a) The Pupil Social-Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Program is hereby established, to be administered by the department, to provide eligible local educational agencies with an allocation of moneys to provide Model Tier 1 Support accessible to pupils and families.(b) (1) All schools within a local educational agency who meet the eligibility criteria described in subdivision (a) of Section 49591.2 and who have a plan approved by the department to provide Model Tier 1 Support accessible to pupils and families shall be eligible under this section for an allocation of moneys to support the mental health needs of their pupils.
(2) Within 90 days of receipt of funding for the program, the department shall publish a streamlined application form and identify criteria for the evaluation of applicants and the awarding of grants for eligible local educational agencies who submit a plan to provide Model Tier 1 Support to pupils for three consecutive school years consistent with this article.
(3) (A) Applications for the
program shall be due within 90 days from the publishing of the streamlined application and shall be approved, denied, or returned by the department to local educational agencies with a request for information by no later than 30 days from receipt.
(B) Before awarding a grant to an applicant, the department shall require the applicant to certify in its plan that it has consulted with relevant providers in program planning and service delivery to pupils and families, including, but not limited to, the local county mental health department and community-based organizations.
(c) Upon the conclusion of the initial three consecutive school year term specified pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the department shall establish dates for publication, submission, and determination of applications from local educational agencies for each fiscal year thereafter to provide Model Tier 1 Support in order to ensure that the department approves or denies applications on or before December 31 of the preceding calendar year.
49591.2.
All of the following apply to the delivery of Model Tier 1 Support pursuant to this article:(a) All local educational agencies shall be eligible, but priority status shall be contingent on local educational agency needs, as determined by official reporting of an unduplicated percentage of 55 percent or higher, as calculated pursuant to Section 2574 or 42238.02, as applicable.
(b) They may be delivered by employees of a school with an approved plan or by community-based organizations with experienced paraprofessionals. Paraprofessionals shall be required to furnish to the local educational agency a full set of fingerprints and
pass a criminal record background check before such delivery.
(c) Local educational agencies with approved plans are encouraged to contract with community-based organizations for delivery of supports to families at schoolsites.