SENATE DOCKET, NO. 778        FILED ON: 1/18/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 256

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Jennifer L. Flanagan

_________________

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 the promotion of mental health education in Massachusetts high schools.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Jennifer L. Flanagan

Worcester and Middlesex

 

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

1/31/2017

Danielle W. Gregoire

4th Middlesex

2/1/2017

Hannah Kane

11th Worcester

2/1/2017

Kimberly N. Ferguson

1st Worcester

2/1/2017

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

2/2/2017

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/2/2017

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

2/3/2017

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

3rd Berkshire

2/3/2017

Kate D. Campanale

17th Worcester

2/3/2017

Joan B.  Lovely

Second Essex

2/3/2017

Gailanne M. Cariddi

1st Berkshire

2/3/2017

Julian Cyr

Cape and Islands

2/3/2017

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

2/3/2017

Anne M. Gobi

Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex

2/3/2017

Sarah K. Peake

4th Barnstable

2/3/2017


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 778        FILED ON: 1/18/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 256

By Ms. Flanagan, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 256) of Jennifer L. Flanagan, Kay Khan, Danielle W. Gregoire, Hannah Kane and other members of the General Court for legislation to promote mental health education in Massachusetts high schools.  Education.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2329 OF 2015-2016.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act relative to the promotion of mental health education in Massachusetts high schools.

 

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

SECTION 1.  Chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 3, the following section: -

Section 3A.  Mental health education. 

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, all public high schools in the commonwealth may incorporate an optional mental health promotion component to the Massachusetts comprehensive health education curriculum for public high school students.  The mental health promotion component shall meet all standards which guide the existing comprehensive health education curriculum.  The mental health section may supplement the comprehensive health education curriculum by providing instruction in areas including, but not limited to: mental health, mental illness, teenage brain development, stress management, physical health, violence prevention, ecological and community health and mental illness stigma.