(a) The department, in collaboration with organizations that have expertise in dating violence, domestic violence, and sexual abuse, shall identify or develop:

• (1) model dating violence educational materials; and
• (2) a model for dating violence response policies and reporting. Not later than July 1, 2011, the department shall make the models developed or identified under this section available to assist schools with the implementation of dating violence education programs in grades 6 through 12 and dating violence response policies.

(b) The model dating violence policy identified or developed under subsection (a) may include the following topics:

• (1) Warning signs of dating violence.
• (2) The basic principles of dating violence prevention.
• (3) Methods of parental education and
• (4) History

(b) The department shall maintain a link on the department’s Internet web site that provides parents and school officials with resources or best practices regarding the prevention and reporting of bullying and cyberbullying. The resources must include guidance on how to report to law enforcement agencies instances of bullying and cyberbullying that occur off campus. The department shall also include guidelines developed by the department under IC 5-2-10.1-12(d). (c) The department shall consult with law enforcement agencies, school officials, and organizations that have expertise in the prevention or reporting of bullying or cyberbullying for purposes of developing or providing the resources or best practices described in subsection (b). (d) The following entities shall maintain a link on their Internet web sites to the Internet web site described in subsection (b):

• (1) The state board.
• (2) A school corporation.

(b) The department shall provide resources and guidance to school corporations concerning evidence based practices and effective strategies that reduce absenteeism in schools. However, the department may not mandate a particular policy within a chronic absence reduction plan adopted by a school corporation or school.

The department of education, in cooperation with the department of child services, the department of correction, and the division of mental health and addiction, shall:

• (1) develop and coordinate the children’s social, emotional, and behavioral health plan that is to provide recommendations concerning:
• (A) comprehensive mental health services;
• (B) early intervention; and
• (C) treatment services; for individuals from birth through twenty-two (22) years of age;
• (2) make recommendations to the state board, which shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 concerning the children’s social, emotional, and behavioral health plan; and
• (3) conduct hearings on the implementation of the plan before adopting rules under this chapter.

The children’s social, emotional, and behavioral health plan shall recommend:

• (1) procedures for the identification and assessment of social, emotional, and mental health issues;
• (2) procedures to assist a child and the child’s family in obtaining necessary services to treat social, emotional, and mental health issues;
• (3) procedures to coordinate provider services and interagency referral networks for an individual from birth through twenty-two (22) years of age;
• (4) guidelines for incorporating social, emotional, and behavioral development into school learning Standard and education programs;
• (5) that social, emotional, and mental health screening be included as a part of routine examinations in schools and by health care providers;
• (6) procedures concerning the positive development of children, including:
• (A) social, emotional, and behavioral development;
• (B) learning; and
• (C) behavioral health;
• (7) plans for creating a children’s social, emotional, and behavioral health system with shared accountability among state agencies that will:
• (A) conduct ongoing needs assessments;
• (B) use outcome indicators and benchmarks to measure progress; and
• (C) implement quality data tracking and reporting systems;
• (8) a state budget for children’s social, emotional, and mental health prevention and treatment;
• (9) how state agencies and local entities can obtain federal funding and other sources of funding to implement a children’s social, emotional, and behavioral health plan;
• (10) how to maintain and expand the workforce to provide mental health services for individuals from birth through twenty-two (22) years of age and families;
• (11) how employers of mental health professionals may:
• (A) improve employee job satisfaction; and
• (B) retain employees;
• (12) how to facilitate research on best practices and model programs for children’s social, emotional, and behavioral health;
• (13) how to disseminate research and provide training and educational materials concerning the children’s social, emotional, and behavioral health program to:
• (A) policymakers;
• (B) practitioners; and
• (C) the general public; and
• (14) how to implement a public awareness campaign to:
• (A) reduce the stigma of mental illness; and
• (B) educate individuals:
• (i) about the benefits of children’s social, emotional, and behavioral development; and
• (ii) how to access children’s social, emotional, and behavioral development services.

The children’s social, emotional, and behavioral health plan shall recommend:

• (1) procedures for the identification and assessment of social, emotional, and mental health issues;
• (2) procedures to assist a child and the child’s family in obtaining necessary services to treat social, emotional, and mental health issues;
• (3) procedures to coordinate provider services and interagency referral networks for an individual from birth through twenty-two (22) years of age;
• (4) guidelines for incorporating social, emotional, and behavioral development into school learning Standard and education programs;
• (5) that social, emotional, and mental health screening be included as a part of routine examinations in schools and by health care providers;
• (6) procedures concerning the positive development of children, including:
• (A) social, emotional, and behavioral development;
• (B) learning; and
• (C) behavioral health;
• (7) plans for creating a children’s social, emotional, and behavioral health system with shared accountability among state agencies that will:
• (A) conduct ongoing needs assessments;
• (B) use outcome indicators and benchmarks to measure progress; and
• (C) implement quality data tracking and reporting systems;
• (8) a state budget for children’s social, emotional, and mental health prevention and treatment;
• (9) how state agencies and local entities can obtain federal funding and other sources of funding to implement a children’s social, emotional, and behavioral health plan;
• (10) how to maintain and expand the workforce to provide mental health services for individuals from birth through twenty-two (22) years of age and families;
• (11) how employers of mental health professionals may:
• (A) improve employee job satisfaction; and
• (B) retain employees;
• (12) how to facilitate research on best practices and model programs for children’s social, emotional, and behavioral health;
• (13) how to disseminate research and provide training and educational materials concerning the children’s social, emotional, and behavioral health program to:
• (A) policymakers;
• (B) practitioners; and
• (C) the general public; and
• (14) how to implement a public awareness campaign to:
• (A) reduce the stigma of mental illness; and
• (B) educate individuals:
• (i) about the benefits of children’s social, emotional, and behavioral development; and
• (ii) how to access children’s social, emotional, and behavioral development services.

(a) The governing body of each school corporation shall work with parents to:

• (1) develop; and
• (2) review periodically; an evidence based plan for improving student behavior and discipline in the school corporation after receiving a model plan developed by the department.

(b) The model plan developed by the department under subsection (a) must:

• (1) reduce out-of-school suspension and disproportionality in discipline and expulsion;
• (2) limit referrals to law enforcement and arrests on school property to cases in which referral to law enforcement or arrest is necessary to protect the health and safety of students or school employees; and
• (3) include policies to address instances of bullying and cyberbullying on school property of a school corporation.

(c) Beginning in the 2019-2020 school year, the department, in collaboration with parent organizations, teacher organizations, educational support professional organizations, and state educational institutions, shall, upon a school corporation’s request, provide information and assistance to the school corporation regarding the implementation of the school corporation’s evidence based plan developed under subsection (a) to ensure that teachers and administrators receive appropriate professional development and other resources in preparation for carrying out the plan.

(a) Each school corporation shall establish a safe school committee. The committee may be a subcommittee of the committee that develops the strategic and continuous school improvement and achievement plan under IC 20-31-5. Each committee may include at least one (1) member who is a member of the support staff of the school or school corporation career and technical education school. (b) The department of education, the school corporation’s school safety specialist, and, upon request, a school resource officer (as described in IC 20-26-18.2-1) shall provide materials and guidelines to assist a safe school committee in developing a plan and policy for the school that addresses the following issues:

• (1) Unsafe conditions, crime prevention, school violence, bullying, criminal organization activity, child abuse and child sexual abuse, and other issues that prevent the maintenance of a safe school.
• (2) Professional development needs for faculty and staff to implement methods that decrease problems identified under subdivision (1).
• (3) Methods to encourage:
• (A) involvement by the community and students;
• (B) development of relationships between students and school faculty and staff; and
• (C) use of problem solving teams.