1| STATE OF OKLAHOMA |
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2| 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026) |
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3|SENATE BILL 1892 By: Standridge |
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6| AS INTRODUCED |
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7| An Act relating to schools; amending Section 1, |
| Chapter 281, O.S.L. 2022 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section |
8| 24-159), which relates to adoption of mental health |
| crisis protocols; removing language directing certain |
9| survey to be included in certain review process; |
| updating statutory language; updating statutory |
10| references; repealing 70 O.S. 2021, Section 24-158, |
| as amended by Section 2, Chapter 281, O.S.L. 2022 (70 |
11| O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 24-158), which relates to |
| the Oklahoma Prevention Needs Assessment Survey; |
12| providing an effective date; and declaring an |
| emergency. |
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15|BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: |
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16| SECTION 1. AMENDATORY Section 1, Chapter 281, O.S.L. |
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17|2022 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 24-159), is amended to read as |
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18|follows: |
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19| Section 24-159. A. Each public school district shall maintain |
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20|a protocol for responding to students in mental health crisis with |
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21|the goal of preventing student suicide, self-harm, and harm to |
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22|others. |
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23| 1. The protocol shall be developed, maintained, and implemented |
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24|in partnership with one or more local mental health treatment |
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1|providers certified by the Department of Mental Health and Substance |
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2|Abuse Services. At least one provider partner shall have: |
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3| a. the ability to serve all school-aged children |
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4| regardless of insurance status, and |
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5| b. the ability and certification to provide mental |
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6| health crisis services in the region where students |
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7| attend school. |
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8| 2. Any organization certified by the state as a community |
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9|mental health center as defined in Section 3-302 of Title 43A of the |
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10|Oklahoma Statutes or a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic |
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11|shall serve as a school partner if requested by a school district |
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12|located in its state-designated service area. |
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13| B. The protocol for responding to mental health crises shall, |
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14|at a minimum: |
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15| 1. Provide a definition of mental health crisis involving |
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16|potential for harm to self or others; |
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17| 2. Document how mental health crises may be identified by |
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18|school administrators, teachers, support employees, and school-based |
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19|mental health professionals; |
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20| 3. Outline nonpunitive steps to safeguard student health and |
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21|safety in response to an immediate or potential mental health |
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22|crisis; |
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1| 4. Identify local treatment providers and resources available |
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2|to support students and families in mental health crisis and ensure |
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3|appropriate referrals to treatment; |
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4| 5. Outline a process for ensuring parent and caregiver |
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5|notification and involvement during an actual or potential mental |
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6|health crisis; and |
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7| 6. Document how student privacy will be protected in compliance |
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8|with applicable state and federal laws. |
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9| C. If a student who is under eighteen (18) years of age is |
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10|identified as being in or at risk of a mental health crisis, the |
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11|school district shall inform the parent or legal guardian of the |
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12|student and offer the treatment referral information contained in |
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13|the protocol. Parent or legal guardian consent shall be required |
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14|for any subsequent action taken by the school as part of the |
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15|protocol except in cases of immediate and life-threatening danger to |
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16|self or others. |
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17| D. All protocols developed by school districts and partner |
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18|organizations shall comply with the Health Insurance Portability and |
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19|Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 (HIPAA) and Family Educational |
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20|Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) privacy requirements. |
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21| E. School administrators, teachers, support employees, and |
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22|school-based mental health providers shall be provided ready access |
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23|to and regular training on the protocol. |
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1| F. A working agreement shall be signed by the school district |
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2|board of education and each identified mental health provider |
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3|partner outlining all obligations of the parties under the |
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4|established protocol and a strategy for regularly reviewing its |
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5|effectiveness using anonymous, nonidentifiable data. |
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6| G. Not less than every two (2) years, the school district and |
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7|its mental health provider partners shall jointly review the |
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8|protocol and working agreements and consider any updates necessary |
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9|to better meet the needs of students. School districts and mental |
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10|health provider partners shall include in their review process |
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11|information gathered from the Oklahoma Prevention Needs Assessment |
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12|Survey or an alternative survey, as provided for in Section 24-158 |
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13|of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes. |
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14| H. Each school district shall submit the latest protocol and |
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15|working agreements to the State Department of Education, which shall |
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16|share the protocols and agreements with the Department of Mental |
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17|Health and Substance Abuse Services. These The agencies may require |
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18|revisions to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, |
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19|and established evidence-based practices. |
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20| I. The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services |
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21|and the State Department of Education shall provide technical |
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22|assistance to school districts and their provider partners by: |
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23| 1. Making available an optional template protocol which |
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24|satisfies the provisions of this section; |
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1| 2. Making available an optional template working agreement |
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2|which can be adopted by schools and provider partners; |
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3| 3. Providing school districts with lists of local public and |
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4|private treatment providers eligible to serve as partners in the |
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5|development and maintenance of a protocol; |
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6| 4. Providing information on any available mental health crisis |
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7|phone line; |
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8| 5. Making available information on evidence-based practices for |
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9|meeting the mental health needs of students; and |
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10| 6. Providing ongoing assistance and consultation as requested |
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11|by a school district. |
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12| J. The Board of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and |
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13|the State Board of Education may promulgate rules as necessary to |
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14|ensure compliance with this section. |
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15| K. Nothing in this section shall be construed to create, |
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16|establish, expand, reduce, contract, or eliminate any civil |
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17|liability on the part of any school or school employee. |
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18| SECTION 2. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 24-158, as |
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19|amended by Section 2, Chapter 281, O.S.L. 2022 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, |
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20|Section 24-158), is hereby repealed. |
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21| SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026. |
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22| SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation |
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23|of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby |
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1|declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and |
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2|be in full force from and after its passage and approval. |
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4| 60-2-3043 EB 1/15/2026 9:52:39 AM |
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