School safety: confidential crisis help systems.

The Interagency School Safety Demonstration Act of 1985 requires school districts and county offices of education to be responsible for the overall development of all comprehensive school safety plans for their schools operating kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive. This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2023, the Office of Emergency Services, in collaboration with the Coordinated School Health and Safety Office of the State Department of Education, to implement and maintain a statewide confidential crisis help system for purposes of the identification and early intervention of individuals who may be experiencing crisis or whose behavior may indicate a threat to the health and safety of themselves, pupils, school staff, or other community members. The bill would require, on or before January 1, 2022, the Office of Emergency Services, in collaboration with the Coordinated School Health and Safety Office, to develop standards and guidelines for the operation and use of the statewide confidential crisis help system. The bill would require, on or before August 1, 2023, a county office of education to adopt policies for the use of, and have in place, either the statewide confidential crisis help system or another platform that meets the standards and guidelines developed for the statewide confidential crisis help system. By imposing additional duties on county offices of education, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.