8. a. The Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services, shall develop an inservice training program for public school teachers to enable the teachers to recognize and respond to substance use by public school pupils. The program shall, at a minimum, include:

(1) Instruction to assist the teacher in the identification of the symptoms and behavioral patterns which might indicate that a child may be involved in substance use;

(2) Appropriate intervention strategies; and,

(3) Information on the State, local and community organizations which are available for the prevention, early intervention, treatment and rehabilitation of individuals who show symptoms of substance use.

The inservice training program required pursuant to this section shall be updated at regular intervals in order to ensure that teaching staff members have the most current information available on this subject.

b. Each local board of education shall ensure that all teaching staff members in the district who are involved in the instruction of pupils are provided with the inservice training program developed pursuant to this section. The inservice training program of the local board of education shall also include information concerning the policy of the board regarding the referral for treatment of pupils with substance use disorder, as required pursuant to section 5 of this act.

1987, c. 387, s.8; amended 2023, c.177, s.45.