Spring 2020
Committee:
Regional Affairs and Legislative Affairs Committees
WHEREAS, Alyssa Monrones (2018) discovered that, “Of the 114 community colleges in California, at least 19 appear to have no mental health services on campus” [1];
WHEREAS, according to the “2019 Mental Health Services Report” put out by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, “nearly half of community college students report at least one mental health condition” [2];
WHEREAS, the California Faculty Association, sponsors of SB 660 (Pan, as of February 22, 2019) [3], argue that “campuses are experiencing a mental health crisis and there are not enough mental health counselors to deal with the crisis. Students face anxiety, depression, and stress as they confront challenges of campus life. Suicide is the second cause of death among college students claiming more than 1,100 lives every year nationally”; and
WHEREAS, the California Faculty Association notes that, “For students of color, these challenges may be even more acute as they face additional stressor such as discrimination, immigration status, financial hardship, being the first in their families to attend college, and are less likely to access needed services”; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges concur with the need to make mental health a legislative priority in order to ensure the provision of mental health services;
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges support a requirement in statute for each campus to meet a standard of one counselor to every 1,500 students as proposed by SB 660 (Pan, as of February 22, 2019);
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges support a systemwide reporting requirement to assess mental health services on each campus as proposed by SB 660 (Pan, as of February 22, 2019); and
RESOLVED, that Student Senate for California Community Colleges strongly urge each California community college district to charge a Health Services Fee of at least $20 in order to ensure a revenue stream for Senate Bill 660 (Pan, as of February 22, 2019) [4].
Citation 1: https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO-Website/Reports/CCCCO_2019_Mental_Health_Report-final-print.ashx?la=en&hash=71C69E036C7CD4CFAFA06A20BFBC9A2576676938
Citation 2: California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. (2019). 2019 Mental Health Services
Report. Retrieved from Morones, A. (2018, July 30). Mental Health Care is Absent at Many California Community Colleges. 2020 California Health Report.
Citation 3: https://www.calhealthreport.org/2018/07/30/mental-health-care-absent-many-california-community-colleges/
Senate Bill 660, Postsecondary Education: Mental Health Care, Senate Education Committee.
Citation 4: 2019-20 Regular Session (2019) (Committee Analysis presented 5.10.19). Retrieved from
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billAnalysisClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB660#
WHEREAS, according to the “2019 Mental Health Services Report” put out by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, “nearly half of community college students report at least one mental health condition” [2];
WHEREAS, the California Faculty Association, sponsors of SB 660 (Pan, as of February 22, 2019) [3], argue that “campuses are experiencing a mental health crisis and there are not enough mental health counselors to deal with the crisis. Students face anxiety, depression, and stress as they confront challenges of campus life. Suicide is the second cause of death among college students claiming more than 1,100 lives every year nationally”; and
WHEREAS, the California Faculty Association notes that, “For students of color, these challenges may be even more acute as they face additional stressor such as discrimination, immigration status, financial hardship, being the first in their families to attend college, and are less likely to access needed services”; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges concur with the need to make mental health a legislative priority in order to ensure the provision of mental health services;
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges support a requirement in statute for each campus to meet a standard of one counselor to every 1,500 students as proposed by SB 660 (Pan, as of February 22, 2019);
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges support a systemwide reporting requirement to assess mental health services on each campus as proposed by SB 660 (Pan, as of February 22, 2019); and
RESOLVED, that Student Senate for California Community Colleges strongly urge each California community college district to charge a Health Services Fee of at least $20 in order to ensure a revenue stream for Senate Bill 660 (Pan, as of February 22, 2019) [4].
Citation 1: https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO-Website/Reports/CCCCO_2019_Mental_Health_Report-final-print.ashx?la=en&hash=71C69E036C7CD4CFAFA06A20BFBC9A2576676938
Citation 2: California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. (2019). 2019 Mental Health Services
Report. Retrieved from Morones, A. (2018, July 30). Mental Health Care is Absent at Many California Community Colleges. 2020 California Health Report.
Citation 3: https://www.calhealthreport.org/2018/07/30/mental-health-care-absent-many-california-community-colleges/
Senate Bill 660, Postsecondary Education: Mental Health Care, Senate Education Committee.
Citation 4: 2019-20 Regular Session (2019) (Committee Analysis presented 5.10.19). Retrieved from
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billAnalysisClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB660#