Senator Anthony Portantino Introduces Bill to Support Student Wellness
For Immediate Release: February 22, 2022
Contact: Lerna Shirinian, (818) 409-0400
Senator Anthony Portantino Introduces Bill to Support Student Wellness
Sacramento, CA - State Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge) introduced Senate Bill 1302, a measure that will provide grants to high schools to establish or improve wellness and mental health support centers on campus.
“Supporting our student’s mental health and wellness in our schools is critical, especially during the post-pandemic era,” stated Senator Portantino. “Teachers and administrators are overwhelmed and students need access to mental health resources now more than ever. SB 1302 addresses this issue and is necessary for the long-term wellbeing and academic success of our students. ”
Reports suggest that a majority of students are not currently receiving the care they need. More than 75% of principals stated that the emotional and mental health needs of students were a problem, and two-thirds of teachers said they were unequipped to deal with their students’ mental health. A 2020 report by the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission found that one in three high school students reported feeling chronically sad and hopeless, with the number rising to more than half for LGBT students. One in six high school students reported having considered suicide in the past year, and one in three LGBT students.
SB 1302 would appropriate $1B to the Superintendent of Public Instruction to provide annual grants of up to $250,000 each to high schools to establish or improve student wellness centers. The bill would require grant funds to provide comprehensive medical and behavioral health services, including activities that will help students to be healthy in body, mind, and spirit in order to learn successfully. SB 1302 would authorize grant funds to be used for personnel to support pupil health. Finally, SB 1302 would require the State Department of Education to identify criteria for the evaluation of applicants and the awarding of grants.
“The time is now to invest in our student’s wellbeing. We have a historic budget surplus and if we can’t utilize it to meet our students’ needs, I’m determined to find a funding source that will accomplish this needed support,” concluded Portantino.
Senator Portantino has long been advocating for policies that improve mental health outcomes for youth. Last year, he authored SB 14 and SB 224, which address the growing mental health crisis among California’s youth by implementing mental health education and training in schools. Governor Newsom signed both measures into law. The Senator also previously authored SB 972, a measure that required schools to print the suicide hotline on student identification cards. Additionally, the Senator dedicated three years to pass SB 328, which pushes back school start times for middle and high schools.
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