HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3069        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 344

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Diana DiZoglio and Kathleen O'Connor Ives

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to substance abuse education in public schools.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3069        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 344

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act relative to substance abuse education in public schools.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 95. The department of elementary and secondary education in coordination with the department of public health and the substance abuse advisory committee established in this section shall develop a model curriculum designed for the purpose of substance abuse and addiction prevention which shall align with the health curriculum framework and address the following topics: tobacco, alcohol, opiate and prescription drug diversion and abuse and other substance use and abuse prevention, conflict resolution, healthy coping behavior, student and community mental health resources and peer leadership.  The curriculum shall take into account the best practices and policies in other states. The adolescent substance abuse and addiction prevention curriculum shall be incorporated into the health curriculum in grades 4 to 12 for all students in the public schools.

The department of elementary and secondary education shall convene a substance abuse advisory committee to investigate and study the development and implementation process for reducing adolescent substance abuse for public school students.  The substance abuse advisory committee in formulating its recommendations, shall take into account the best practices and policies in other states.

The substance abuse advisory committee shall consist of 11 members: 2 of whom shall be national experts on adolescent substance abuse and addiction; 2 of whom shall be members of the student advisory council; 2 of whom shall be members of teens leading the way; 2 of whom shall be members of the governors youth council; 2 of whom shall be members of the legislature’s joint committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse; 2 of whom shall be members of the Joint Committee on Education; 1 of whom shall be a member of the Attorney General’s opiate abuse task force. The department shall create an evaluation assessing the curriculum and teaching materials before piloting this program.

SECTION 2.  The state shall fully fund all costs associated with the implementation of this act.

SECTION 3. The substance abuse advisory committee shall report to the general court the results of its investigation and study and any recommendations by filing the same with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate who shall forward the same to the chairs of the joint committee on education and the chairs of the joint committee on education and the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse on or before January 1, 2016.

SDECTION 4. The model curriculum established in SECTION 1 shall be developed on or before June 30, 2015.