Student Mental Health Resources Bill Signed into Law

The governor on Wednesday signed into law a bill that will get needed help to students in mental health crisis or who are considering suicide.

House Bill 4106 by Rep. Mark Vancuren, R-Owasso, directs public school districts to develop and maintain a protocol, in partnership with one or more local mental health treatment providers certified by the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (DMHSAS), to respond to students in mental health crisis to prevent suicide, self-harm, and harm to others.

"Oklahoma students and schools need assistance," said Vancuren, a 30-year educator and coach. "There is an unprecedented, urgent crisis in students experiencing mental health crisis or contemplating harming themselves or even ending their own lives. This legislation will ensure schools have protocols in place and the resources they need to help students experiencing such trauma."

Through a local and district-driven process supported by ODMHSAS and the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OKSDE), schools and mental health providers will work together to develop standard practices designed to keep students safe.

The bill requires each public school district in collaboration with a local mental health provider to define “mental health crisis” and how those crises are identified as well as to develop an evidence-based protocol governing how school staff respond to crises and refer families to treatment. the measure also ensures a local provider is available to support students’ needs via telehealth or in-person services, and requires ODMHSAS and OKSDE to help schools if needed.

Former educator, Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, RMuskogee, Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, Vice chair of the Education Committee, is the Senate author of the bill.

“Our state is facing a major crisis as we’re tragically losing our young people at an alarming rate to suicide, which is the second leading cause of death among our state’s youth,” Pemberton said. “By collaborating with local mental health professionals, our public schools will be better prepared to properly support and protect students in mental health crisis. This will ensure that our public schools are truly a sanctuary for all Oklahoma students in their time of need.”

School assessments show 17% of Oklahoma students considered suicide in 2020 and 9.8% attempted. Hospital emergency rooms also have seen up to double the number of youth in suicidal crisis, sometimes leaving no beds for kids in physical health emergencies.

Vancuren pointed out that students struggling with mental health issues also often struggle academically, which worsens the cycle. In addition, teachers increasingly report concerning classroom behavioral and safety incidents. "This bill will help teachers get students the help they need so they can focus on teaching," he said.

HB4106 ensures parents or guardians are always notified when a student under the age of 18 is identified as being in or at risk of a mental health crisis. Parental consent for any subsequent school action would be required except in cases of immediate and life-threatening danger to self or others. Student and family privacy and anonymity will be protected.

The protocol and working agreements are to be reviewed every two years by the district and its mental health provider partners, including information gathered from the Oklahoma Prevention Needs Assessment Survey or a similar survey. Updated protocols and working agreements would be submitted to the OKSDE and shared with DMHSAS. Parents could opt their student out of being included in the survey. The report would be submitted to the Senate president pro tem, House speaker and chairs of the House and Senate education and public health committees.