SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 6191
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
As Reported by Senate Committee On:
Early Learning & K-12 Education, January 31, 2020
Title: An act relating to assessing the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences in middle and high school students to inform decision making and improve services.
Brief Description: Assessing the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences in middle and high school students to inform decision making and improve services.
Sponsors: Senators Braun, Darneille, Hasegawa, O'Ban, Rolfes, Short and Wilson, C.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Early Learning & K-12 Education: 1/15/20, 1/31/20 [DPS, w/oRec].
Brief Summary of First Substitute Bill |
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SENATE COMMITTEE ON EARLY LEARNING & K-12 EDUCATION |
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6191 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.
Signed by Senators Wellman, Chair; Wilson, C., Vice Chair; Hawkins, Ranking Member; Hunt, Mullet, Pedersen and Salomon.
Minority Report: That it be referred without recommendation.
Signed by Senators Padden and Wagoner.
Staff: Ailey Kato (786-7434)
Background: ACEs. In 2011, the Legislature defined ACEs to mean the following indicators of severe childhood stressors and family dysfunction, when experienced in the first 18 years of life and taken together, are provided by public health research to be powerful determinants of physical, mental, social, and behavioral health across the lifespan:
child physical, sexual, and emotional abuse;
child emotional or physical neglect;
alcohol or other substance abuse in the home;
mental illness, depression, or suicidal behaviors in the home;
incarceration of a family member;
witnessing intimate partner violence; and
parental divorce or separation.
The definition states that ACEs have been demonstrated to affect the development of the brain and other major body systems. The definition applies to a nongovernmental private-public initiative.
Healthy Youth Survey. The Healthy Youth Survey is a collaborative effort of the Health Care Authority (HCA), the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), and other state agencies. According to the survey's website, it is an effort to measure health risk behaviors contributing to morbidity, mortality, and social problems among youth in Washington State.
The voluntary survey is administered every two years to students in sixth, eighth, tenth, and twelfth grades, and responses are anonymous. According to OSPI, over 230,000 students in over 1000 schools, from 236 school districts, in all 39 counties took part in the survey in 2018.
Summary of Bill (First Substitute): HCA, in collaboration with OSPI, Department of Health, and the Liquor and Cannabis Board, must incorporate questions related to ACEs into the Healthy Youth Survey. The questions must be validated for children and would allow reporting of ACEs during childhood to be included in frequency reports. The questions must be administered for two cycles and then evaluated by the state agencies for any needed changes. Student responses to the survey are voluntary and must remain anonymous.
The aggregated student responses must be published by state, educational service district, county, and school district if the district has more than 20 students. The aggregated student responses must be available to school buildings and school districts with 20 or fewer students.
School districts are encouraged to use this information in their decision making and to help improve services for students.
EFFECT OF CHANGES MADE BY EARLY LEARNING & K-12 EDUCATION COMMITTEE (First Substitute):
Names HCA as the lead agency instead of OSPI.
Requires questions related to ACEs be incorporated into the Healthy Youth Survey instead of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s ACE module.
Specifies that the questions must be validated for children and would allow reporting of ACEs during childhood to be included in frequency reports.
Requires the questions to be administered for two cycles and then evaluated for any needed changes.
Removes the requirement that the aggregated student responses be published by school buildings and requires publication for school districts with more than 20 students.
Provides that school buildings and districts with 20 or fewer students will have access to the aggregated student responses.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Original Bill: The committee recommended a different version of the bill than what was heard. PRO: Research has connected toxic childhood stress to long-term impacts and a variety of health issues. When children have ACEs, there are effective interventions such as resiliency training and social emotional learning. The ACE questions can give educators important information about the well-being of their students while still protecting their privacy. This data can identify hot spots where resources and support are needed. The Healthy Youth Survey appropriately words questions for the age of the students.
CON: The Healthy Youth Survey already asks intrusive questions and questions related to ACEs. Adding additional ACE questions is more intrusive and could cause more trauma. Families need to help their children with this trauma not schools. The ACE questions were developed by health professionals and should not be given to all children. Not all children are victims of trauma.
Persons Testifying: PRO: Senator John Braun, Prime Sponsor; Tennille Jeffries-Simmons, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; Melanie Smith, Committee For Children. CON: Dawn Land, citizen; Sharon Hanek, citizen.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: No one.