Bill > SB41

This bill aims to enhance mental health education in Alaska's public schools by requiring the Board of Education and Early Development to develop comprehensive guidelines for mental health instruction. The bill mandates that local school boards provide parents with at least two weeks' notice before any mental health classes or programs, giving parents the option to withdraw their children from such instruction. The legislation expands health education programs to explicitly include mental health alongside existing topics like physical health, substance abuse, and personal safety. The board must develop these mental health guidelines in consultation with various state departments (Health, Family and Community Services), regional tribal health organizations, and national and state mental health organizations. Additionally, the bill requires the board to submit a report to the legislature within two years, detailing the developed guidelines and the process used to create them. The goal is to create developmentally appropriate mental health education that can be integrated into kindergarten through 12th-grade curricula, with a focus on providing comprehensive health education that supports students' overall wellbeing.

Budget and Finance, Education

https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=SB41