Raleigh -- PRESS RELEASE: North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper's Office Jun 8, 2020 Today, Governor Roy Cooper signed the following bill into law: Senate Bill 476: School-Based Mental Health
Governor Cooper shared this statement on SB 476:
"The mental health of our students has never been more important, and this legislation encourages that support. We still need to invest more in school nurses and counselors." 
 
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2019
SENATE BILL 476
RATIFIED BILL
*S476-v-5*
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ADOPT A
SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH POLICY AND TO REQUIRE K-12 SCHOOL
UNITS TO ADOPT AND TO IMPLEMENT A SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH
PLAN THAT INCLUDES A MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING PROGRAM AND A
SUICIDE RISK REFERRAL PROTOCOL.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a) Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new
Article to read:
"Article 25B.
"Mental Health Needs of Student.
"§ 115C-376.5. School-based mental health plan required.
(a) Definitions. – The following definitions shall apply in this section:
(1) K-12 school unit. – A local school administrative unit, a charter school, a
regional school, an innovative school, or a laboratory school.
(2) School personnel. – Teachers, instructional support personnel, principals, and
assistant principals. This term may also include, in the discretion of the K-12
school unit, other school employees who work directly with students in grades
kindergarten through 12.
(b) School-Based Mental Health Policy. – The State Board of Education shall adopt a
school-based mental health policy that includes (i) minimum requirements for a school-based
mental health plan for K-12 school units and (ii) a model mental health training program and
model suicide risk referral protocol for K-12 school units. Consistent with this section, the model
mental health training program and model suicide risk referral protocol shall meet all of the
following requirements:
(1) The model mental health training program shall be provided to school
personnel who work with students in grades kindergarten through 12 and
address the following topics:
a. Youth mental health.
b. Suicide prevention.
c. Substance abuse.
d. Sexual abuse prevention.
e. Sex trafficking prevention.
f. Teenage dating violence.
(2) The model suicide risk referral protocol shall be provided to school personnel
who work with students in grades six through 12 and provide both of the
following:
a. Guidelines on the identification of students at risk of suicide.
b. Procedures and referral sources that address actions that should be
taken to address students identified in accordance with this
subdivision
 

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