Contra Costa County Office of Education

California Laws That Support Student Mental Health

Chronic Absenteeism 

• California defines a student as chronically absent when they miss 10% or more of the school days they are enrolled, regardless of whether the absences are excused or unexcused. 
• Chronic absenteeism can affect academic progress, student connection, and access to school-based supports

• Identifying chronic absenteeism early gives schools an opportunity to understand barriers to attendance and connect students and families with appropriate academic, mental health, basic needs, and community supports.

•  Beginning July 1, 2025, allows LEAs to voluntarily implement Attendance Recovery programs that provide supplemental instructional time outside the regular school day
• Attendance Recovery may be offered before or after school, on weekends, or during intersession periods
• Allows students to recover the equivalent of up to 10 days of attendance per school year, or the number of absences they have accrued, whichever is less
• Attendance Recovery participation must be voluntary and cannot be used as a punitive response to student absences
• Expands short-term independent study to periods of 15 or fewer school days, providing LEAs additional flexibility to maintain instructional continuity when students cannot attend in person

• Gives students additional opportunities to recover instructional time lost because of absences
• Provides LEAS with a pathway to recover Average Daily Attendance (ADA) funding associated with eligible student absences
• Expands options for maintaining student connection to learning while addressing the educational and fiscal impacts of absenteeism

AB 461 & SB 691: Supportive Approaches to Truancy and Attendance 

• SB691 updates initial truancy notifications to families by removing specified punitive language and requiring schools to inform families that mental health and supportive services may be available 
• Requires families to be informed that school personnel are available to meet with the student and family to develop strategies that support regular school attendance

• AB461 repeals the misdemeanor that previously allowed certain parents or guardians to face criminal penalties when a child was chronically truant
• Together, these changes reinforce a more supportive and collaborative approach to addressing attendance barriers with students and families

• Shift the focus from punishment toward identifying and addressing the underlying reasons students may be missing school
• Encourages schools to partner with families and connect students to mental health, basic needs, and other supportive services when appropriate 
• Supports early intervention and stronger school-family relationships as part of improving attendance

SB 1318: Suicide Prevention Policy and Crisis Intervention Protocols (Effective July 1, 2026)

• Updates California's Model Pupil Suicide Prevention Policy
• Requires LEAs to include clear crisis intervention protocols aligned with state best practices
• Policies must be updated at the next regularly scheduled review on or after July 1, 2026

• Strengthens school readiness to respond to students in mental health crisis
• Clarifies staff roles and response procedures during high-risk situations
• Promotes consistent, trauma-informed, and student-centered crisis response across schools

Pupil Suicide Prevention Policies

• Mandates that school districts and charter schools adopt a pupil suicide prevention policy
• Requires staff training, student referral procedures, and crisis response guidance
• Serves as the statutory foundation for updated requirements under SB1318

• Establishes suicide prevention as a core school safety responsibility 
• Ensures districts maintain clear protocols to identify, support, and respond to students at risk
• Provides the legal framework for ongoing updates to suicide prevention practices

AB 727: Pupil and Student Safety - Mental Health and Crisis Resources on Student Identification Cards

• Add the Trevor Project LGBTQ+ crisis hotline to student ID Cards (grades 7-12)
• Maintains inclusion of 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifelines and domestic violence resources
• Applies to public middle schools, high schools, and public higher education institutions

• Provides immediate access to crisis support in moments of need
• Reduces barriers for LGBTQ+ students at higher risk for suicide and mental health distress
• Normalizes help-seeking and reinforces that support is visible, accessible, and affirming

SB 224: Mental Health Education in Grades 6-12

• Integrates mental health into health curriculum
• Lessons on mental health conditions, signs, stigma reduction, coping strategies, and help-seeking
• Must be culturally relevant and age-appropriate instruction

• Empowers students with the knowledge and tools to recognize and respond to mental health concerns - either for themselves or their peers. This law ensures students are equipped with the language and skills to support their own mental wellness

AB 748 - Mental Health Poster Requirement

• Display posters in grade 6-12 with warning signs of mental distress, positive and negative coping skills, and campus and community-based mental health resources
• Must be site specific and contain local mental health community services
• Must be age-appropriate and culturally relevant
• Translated in languages spoken by ≥ 15% of students

• Increases student access to life-saving mental health resources in every school building

SB 48 - Fair Education Act

• Inclusion of the political, economic, and social contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals and people with disabilities in K-12 history/social science curriculum
• Prohibits materials that reflect bias or promote discriminatory perspectives
• Applies to instructional materials, textbooks, and classroom teaching

• Standards-aligned lesson plans for grades 6-12
• Literature guides that center LGBTQ+ authors and stories
• Classroom discussion tools for identity, inclusion, and equity
• Supports FAIR Act compliance and culturally responsive instruction

• It's plug-and-play - ready to use with little prep
• It helps foster belonging and safety for LGBTQ+ students
• It supports mental health and academic success through inclusive curriculum

PRISM Toolkit