(a) To conduct in-service training programs for teachers.
(b) In addition to other topics at in-service training programs, at least once every 2 years, licensed school personnel and administrators who work with pupils in kindergarten through grade 12 shall be trained to identify the warning signs of mental illness and suicidal behavior in youth and shall be taught appropriate intervention and referral techniques. A school district may utilize the Illinois Mental Health First Aid training program, established under the Illinois Mental Health First Aid Training Act [405 ILCS 105/1 et seq.]and administered by certified instructors trained by a national association recognized as an authority in behavioral health, to provide the training and meet the requirements under this subsection. If licensed school personnel or an administrator obtains mental health first aid training outside of an in-service training program, he or she may present a certificate of successful completion of the training to the school district to satisfy the requirements of this subsection.
Training regarding the implementation of trauma-informed practices satisfies the requirements of this subsection (b).
A course of instruction as described in this subsection (b) may provide information that is relevant to and within the scope of the duties of licensed school personnel or school administrators. Such information may include, but is not limited to:
(1) the recognition of and care for trauma in students and staff;
(2) the relationship between educator wellness and student learning;
(3) the effect of trauma on student behavior and learning;
(4) the prevalence of trauma among students, including the prevalence of trauma among student populations at higher risk of experiencing trauma;
(5) the effects of implicit or explicit bias on recognizing trauma among various student groups in connection with race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and other relevant factors; and
(6) effective district practices that are shown to:
(A) prevent and mitigate the negative effect of trauma on student behavior and learning; and
(B) support the emotional wellness of staff.
(c) School guidance counselors, nurses, teachers and other school personnel who work with pupils may be trained to have a basic knowledge of matters relating to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), including the nature of the disease, its causes and effects, the means of detecting it and preventing its transmission, and the availability of appropriate sources of counseling and referral, and any other information that may be appropriate considering the age and grade level of such pupils. The School Board shall supervise such training. The State Board of Education and the Department of Public Health shall jointly develop standards for such training.