Text: HF00425 Text: HF00427 Text: HF00400 - HF00499 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. FINDINGS – PURPOSE.
1 2 1. The general assembly finds that effective prevention,
1 3 treatment, and law enforcement are the key components for
1 4 addressing drug and alcohol abuse in society. In recent
1 5 years, heightened attention to the immediate problems caused
1 6 by dangerous drugs such as methamphetamine and crack cocaine
1 7 has resulted in the commitment of more resources to treatment
1 8 and law enforcement. It is the purpose of this Act to curtail
1 9 the need for continued growth in treatment and law enforcement
1 10 efforts by implementing effective prevention activities among
1 11 children in schools.
1 12 2. The general assembly finds that effective treatment
1 13 programs, such as are envisioned in this Act, are the best
1 14 means to create a school and community partnership to mobilize
1 15 parents and the public to address the effects of dangerous
1 16 drugs such as methamphetamine and crack cocaine. It is
1 17 intended that this partnership will create a greater
1 18 understanding that changing attitudes of acceptance of student
1 19 use of alcohol and marijuana is an important intervention in
1 20 discouraging student progression to the use of other more
1 21 dangerous drugs.
1 22 Sec. 2. STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. There is
1 23 appropriated from the general fund of the state to the
1 24 department of education for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
1 25 1999, and ending June 30, 2000, the following amount, or so
1 26 much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes
1 27 designated:
1 28 For implementing student assistance programs in accordance
1 29 with this Act, including salaries, support, maintenance, and
1 30 miscellaneous purposes:
1 31 .................................................. $ 2,000,000
1 32 1. The department shall establish program requirements and
1 33 a funding mechanism for implementation of student assistance
1 34 programs in accordance with this section in the school
1 35 districts which are part of at least two area education
2 1 agencies of the state. If the department determines that
2 2 funding is sufficient, the school districts in additional area
2 3 education agencies shall be included.
2 4 2. The program requirements shall include at least one
2 5 substance abuse prevention specialist position in each school
2 6 district, with more than one depending upon the size of the
2 7 district. The specialist in this position would work with the
2 8 school counselor staff in implementing a student assistance
2 9 team in each school building. The specialist would also be
2 10 available for assessing substance abuse among students and
2 11 making appropriate referrals.
2 12 3. The purpose of a student assistance team is to provide
2 13 a means of identifying students' academic and social at-risk
2 14 behaviors as early as possible and to remediate the behaviors.
2 15 Remediation approaches may include but are not limited to
2 16 linking students with adult or student mentors, tutoring,
2 17 reading recovery programming, activities to build social
2 18 skills, and parent involvement activities. A student
2 19 assistance team may include school faculty, administrators,
2 20 other school staff, juvenile court officers, parents, and
2 21 other volunteers. Phase III of the educational excellence
2 22 program may be used to provide a stipend to involve teachers
2 23 and area education agency staff.
2 24 4. The area education agencies involved with implementing
2 25 this section shall conduct staff development sessions for
2 26 school district administrators and faculty. The substance
2 27 abuse and health promotion division of the Iowa department of
2 28 public health shall assist the area education agencies and
2 29 school districts in identifying and securing for staff
2 30 development presentations the best available trainers in
2 31 prevention activities. The staff development sessions may
2 32 include the provision of information on drugs, alcohol,
2 33 tobacco, attention deficit disorders, parental involvement
2 34 techniques, and other pertinent topics. It is intended that
2 35 widespread staff development on these topics will result in
3 1 school faculty infusing prevention within health curriculum
3 2 and other courses as appropriate.
3 3 5. The student assistance programs shall provide for
3 4 establishing alternate activities for students including
3 5 social activities, public service opportunities, mentoring and
3 6 tutoring of younger students, and recognition events.
3 7 6. The involved schools may use voluntary drug or alcohol
3 8 testing of children as allowed pursuant to section 808A.5, if
3 9 enacted in this Act.
3 10 7. The student assistance programs shall be coordinated
3 11 with the local community empowerment area board activities
3 12 involving children, and shall supplement existing prevention
3 13 efforts such as school counseling, academics, drug abuse
3 14 resistance education, and extracurricular activities.
3 15 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 808A.5 APPLICABILITY.
3 16 This chapter shall not apply to a search of a student for
3 17 purposes of conducting a drug or alcohol test on a sample
3 18 obtained from the student.
3 19 EXPLANATION
3 20 This bill relates to prevention of drug and alcohol abuse
3 21 by children by establishing support programs and authorizing
3 22 drug and alcohol testing by schools. The bill includes an
3 23 appropriation to the department of education.
3 24 The bill includes a statement of purpose and findings
3 25 regarding the importance of prevention in addressing drug and
3 26 alcohol abuse.
3 27 The appropriation provides requirements for the support
3 28 program to be established in the public school in at least two
3 29 area education agencies. The funding is to be used for the
3 30 costs of at least one prevention specialist for each school
3 31 district and other costs for staff development and
3 32 establishment of volunteer student assistance teams in school
3 33 buildings. Various members of the teams are suggested,
3 34 including school faculty and administrative personnel,
3 35 juvenile court officers, and others. Authorization is
4 1 provided to use phase III of the educational excellence
4 2 program to pay a stipend to school personnel. Legislative
4 3 intent is provided for coordination with community empowerment
4 4 and other prevention programming.
4 5 The bill exempts drug and alcohol testing of students from
4 6 the requirements of Code chapter 808A otherwise governing
4 7 student searches, such as locker searches.
4 8 LSB 2424HH 78
4 9 jp/jw/5
Text: HF00425 Text: HF00427 Text: HF00400 - HF00499 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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