PROF. DEVELOPMENT; MENTAL HEALTH S.B. 41:
SUMMARY OF INTRODUCED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 41 (as introduced 1-22-19)
Sponsor: Senator Sylvia Santana
Committee: Education and Career Readiness
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to do the following:
-- Require the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to develop or adopt a professional development course for teachers on mental health first aid within one year of the bill's effective date.
-- Require the course to include instruction on identifying potential risk factors and warning signs for mental illness, and strategies for helping an individual experiencing a mental health crisis.
-- Allow the professional development course to be counted towards the required five days of professional development required under Section 1527 of the Code.
Within one year after the bill's effective date, the MDE, in conjunction with DHHS, would have to develop or adopt a professional development course for teachers on mental health first aid. The professional development course would have to include instruction on at least both of the following:
-- Identifying potential risk factors and warning signs for mental illness, including depression, anxiety, trauma, psychosis, eating disorders, substances use disorders, and self-injury.
-- Strategies for helping an individual experiencing a mental health crisis, including assessing risk, listening respectfully, supporting the individual, and identifying professional help and other resources for the individual.
The mental health first aid professional development course could be counted toward the professional development required under Section 1527 of the Code. (Section 1527 requires the board of each school district, intermediate school district, or public school academy to provide at least five days of teacher professional development each year.)
Proposed MCL 380.1526b Legislative Analyst: Dana Adams
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have a minimal fiscal impact on the Department of Education and local units of government. The MDE would experience a minimal fiscal impact to conduct research on various professional development courses. If the Department adopted a course instead of developing one, it would experience fewer administrative costs. Intermediate school districts, school districts, and charter schools could experience reduced costs if they would have
otherwise devoted resources to research and develop professional development courses for mental health first aid locally.
The bill would lead to indeterminant minor costs for the DHHS resulting from the requirement that it work with the Department of Education to develop or adopt a professional development course on mental health first aid.
Fiscal Analyst: Ellyn Ackerman
Cory Savino
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.