A. The Legislature recognizes that many students are dealing with family and societal issues that make it difficult or impossible for them to be successful students. Among other school-based counseling programs, designated youth services agencies provide counseling for those students. To assure the quality and availability of the counseling services, the Legislature finds that it is desirable that school districts have access to individual and group counseling using an evidence-based counseling curriculum to prevent self-defeating, destructive or disruptive behavior. The curriculum may include training in problem solving, anger management, grief counseling, responsibility, communication and decision-making skills.

B. In order to assure the ability of school districts to give their students the best opportunity for academic and personal success, subject to the availability of funds, the Office of Juvenile Affairs, together with the Oklahoma Association of Youth Services, shall identify an evidence-based counseling curriculum. Subject to the availability of funds, the Office of Juvenile Affairs, through designated youth services agencies, shall make the identified evidence-based counseling available to students in school districts.

C. For purposes of this section, “evidence-based” means a program or practice that has had multiple-site randomized controlled trials across heterogeneous populations demonstrating that the program or practice is effective for the population.

Added by Laws 2012, c. 239, § 1.