HB4351 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 19569 KTG 28337 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB4351

Introduced 1/5/2022, by Rep. Daniel Didech

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

405 ILCS 49/15

Amends the Children's Mental Health Act of 2003. In a provision requiring the Illinois State Board of Education to develop and implement a plan to incorporate social and emotional development standards for the purpose of enhancing and measuring children's school readiness and ability to achieve academic success, provides that the plan shall be reviewed and revised periodically by the Board of Education at least once every 3 years. Requires the plan to include the teaching of grade-appropriate mental health topics, including, but not limited to, topics on: the types of mental illness, suicide prevention, substance abuse prevention, and other matters. In a provision requiring every Illinois school district to develop a policy for incorporating social and emotional development into the district's educational program, provides that the policy shall be reviewed and revised periodically by the school district to incorporate revised provisions of the Board of Education's social and emotional development standards.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning mental health.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Children's Mental Health Act of 2003 is amended by changing Section 15 as follows:

(405 ILCS 49/15)

Sec. 15. Mental health and schools.

(a) The Illinois State Board of Education shall develop and implement a plan to incorporate social and emotional development standards as part of the Illinois Learning Standards for the purpose of enhancing and measuring children's school readiness and ability to achieve academic success. The plan shall be submitted to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Partnership by December 31, 2004.

(a-5) The plan required by subsection (a) shall be reviewed and revised periodically by the Illinois State Board of Education at least once every 3 years. Revisions to the plan shall include the teaching of grade-appropriate mental health topics, including, but not limited to, topics on: the types of mental illness, how to find help for peers and yourself with mental illness, suicide prevention, substance abuse prevention, coping strategies, appropriate language to use surrounding mental health, and how to incorporate technology in a mental health crisis.

(b) Every Illinois school district shall develop a policy for incorporating social and emotional development into the district's educational program. The policy shall address teaching and assessing social and emotional skills and protocols for responding to children with social, emotional, or mental health problems, or a combination of such problems, that impact learning ability. School social workers may implement a continuum of social and emotional education programs and services in accordance with students' needs. Each district must submit this policy to the Illinois State Board of Education by August 31, 2004. The policy shall be reviewed and revised periodically by the school district to incorporate revised provisions of the Illinois State Board of Education's social and emotional development standards.

(Source: P.A. 98-338, eff. 8-13-13.)