The Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age. The Early Education Act requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to, among other things, provide an inclusive and cost-effective preschool program. Under both acts, the cost to a provider agency of providing an early childhood mental health consultation service is reimbursable if certain requirements are met, including that the consultation service uses a relationship-based model that includes specified components, including, among others, that, at least twice per program year, early care- and education setting-based mental health assessments are conducted and that there is, with the consent of parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for adverse childhood experiences and screening for buffering factors.

This bill would remove the requirement that the consultation service use a relationship-based model that includes those components in order to be reimbursable and would instead require that, in order to be reimbursable, the consultation service, among other things, uses a relationship-based model that incorporates, at least once per school or program year, an early care and education classroom observation tool that includes measures on the classroom environment, social-emotional learning climate, and teacher and child interactions to guide the specific activities and support the consultant will provide.

The Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age. The Early Education Act requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to, among other things, provide an inclusive and cost-effective preschool program. Under both acts, the cost to a provider agency of providing an early childhood mental health consultation service is reimbursable if certain requirements are met, including that the consultation service uses a relationship-based model that includes specified components, including, among others, that, at least twice per program year, early care- and education setting-based mental health assessments are conducted and that there is, with the consent of parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for adverse childhood experiences and screening for buffering factors.

This bill would remove the requirement that the consultation service use a relationship-based model that includes those components in order to be reimbursable and would instead require that, in order to be reimbursable, the consultation service, among other things, uses a relationship-based model that incorporates, at least once per school or program year, an early care and education classroom observation tool that includes measures on the classroom environment, social-emotional learning climate, and teacher and child interactions to guide the specific activities and support the consultant will provide.

The Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age. The Early Education Act requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to, among other things, provide an inclusive and cost-effective preschool program. Under both acts, the cost to a provider agency of providing an early childhood mental health consultation service is reimbursable if certain requirements are met, including that the consultation service uses a relationship-based model that includes specified components, including, among others, that, at least twice per program year, early care- and education setting-based mental health assessments are conducted and that there is, with the consent of parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for adverse childhood experiences and screening for buffering factors.

This bill would remove the requirement that the consultation service use a relationship-based model that includes those components in order to be reimbursable and would instead require that, in order to be reimbursable, the consultation service, among other things, uses a relationship-based model that incorporates, at least once per school or program year, an early care and education classroom observation tool that includes measures on the classroom environment, social-emotional learning climate, and teacher and child interactions to guide the specific activities and support the consultant will provide.

The Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age. The Early Education Act requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to, among other things, provide an inclusive and cost-effective preschool program. Under both acts, the cost to a provider agency of providing an early childhood mental health consultation service is reimbursable if certain requirements are met, including that the consultation service uses a relationship-based model that includes specified components, including, among others, that, at least twice per program year, early care- and education setting-based mental health assessments are conducted and that there is, with the consent of parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for adverse childhood experiences and screening for buffering factors.

This bill would remove the requirement that the consultation service use a relationship-based model that includes those components in order to be reimbursable and instead requires would instead require that, in order to be reimbursable, the consultation service, among other things, uses a relationship-based model that includes, incorporates, at least once per school or program year, the early childhood mental health consultation service be informed by an early care and education classroom observation tool that includes measures on the classroom environment, social-emotional learning climate, and teacher and child interactions to guide the specific activities and support the consultant will provide.

The Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age. The Early Education Act requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to, among other things, provide an inclusive and cost-effective preschool program. Under both acts, the cost to a provider agency of providing an early childhood mental health consultation service is reimbursable if certain requirements are met, including that the consultation service uses a relationship-based model that includes specified components, including, among others, that, at least twice per program year, early care- and education setting-based mental health assessments are conducted and that there is, with the consent of parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for adverse childhood experiences and screening for buffering factors.

This bill would remove the requirement that the consultation service use a relationship-based model that includes those components in order to be reimbursable and instead requires that, in order to be reimbursable, the consultation service, among other things, uses a relationship-based model that includes, at least once per school or program year, in consultation with the classroom team or childcare provider, as applicable, the use of an early care and education classroom observation tool to inform the early childhood mental health consultation service be informed by an early care and education classroom observation tool that includes measures on the classroom environment, social-emotional learning climate, and teacher and child interactions to guide the specific activities and support the consultant will provide.

The Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age. The Early Education Act requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to, among other things, provide an inclusive and cost-effective preschool program. Under both acts, the cost to a provider agency of providing an early childhood mental health consultation service is reimbursable if certain requirements are met, including that the consultation service uses a relationship-based model that includes specified components, including, among others, that, at least twice per program year, early care- and education setting-based mental health assessments are conducted and that there is, with the consent of parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for adverse childhood experiences and screening for buffering factors.

This bill would remove the requirement that the consultation service use a relationship-based model that includes those components in order to be reimbursable and instead requires that, in order to be reimbursable, the consultation service, among other things, uses a relationship-based model that includes that, includes, at least once per school year in each classroom, or program year, in consultation with the classroom team, team or childcare provider, as applicable, the use of an early care and education classroom observation tool to inform the specific activities and support the consultant will provide.

The Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age. The Early Education Act requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to, among other things, provide an inclusive and cost-effective preschool program. Under both acts, the cost to a provider agency of providing an early childhood mental health consultation service is reimbursable if certain requirements are met, including that the consultation service uses a relationship-based model that includes specified components, including, among others, that, at least twice per program year, early care- and education setting-based mental health assessments are conducted and that there is, with the consent of parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for adverse childhood experiences and screening for buffering factors.

This bill would remove the requirement that the consultation service use a relationship-based model that includes those components in order to be reimbursable and instead requires that, in order to be reimbursable, the consultation service, among other things, uses a relationship-based model that includes that, at least once per school year in each classroom, in consultation with the classroom team, the use of an early care and education classroom observation tool to inform the specific activities and support the consultant will provide.

CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS

CSA1 Bill Id:AB 2429

Author:(Blanca Rubio)

As Amended Ver:June 29, 2026

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Revises the requirements for early childhood mental health consultation (ECMHC) services reimbursement by requiring consultants to use an early care and education classroom observation tool at least once per year in each classroom, rather than twice per year, and the requirement to administer at least one Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) screening optional.

Senate Amendments

1. Add that the ECMHC service used in California State Preschool Programs (CSPP) and General Child Care programs shall include:
   1. Informed by an early care and education classroom observation tool that includes measures on the classroom environment, social-emotional learning climate, and teacher and child interactions to guide the specific activities and support the consultant would provide.
   2. Administered the classroom observation tool at least once per school year in each classroom receiving ECMHC service.
2. Remove the requirement that the ECMHC model may screen for buffering factors including resilience.

COMMENTS

Background: Subsidized Childcare. California's subsidized childcare system provides assistance to parents and guardians who are working, in training, seeking employment, incapacitated, or in need of respite. The system serves children from birth through 13 years of age and is funded through a combination of federal and state dollars. Services are delivered through a mixed delivery system that includes licensed childcare centers, licensed family childcare homes, and license-exempt providers such as family, friends, or neighbors.

Several programs make up the state's subsidized childcare system. Families participating in California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program may receive childcare through a three-stage system during and after participation. The General Child Care and Development Program (CCTR) provides subsidized care through contracted centers and family childcare home education networks. Alternative Payment Programs provide vouchers that allow families to choose care across settings. California also offers the CSPP for eligible three-and four-year old children, providing part-day or full-day services that include curriculum, meals, parent education, and referrals to social and health services.

Families must meet both eligibility and need requirements to access non-CalWORKs subsidized childcare. Eligibility includes income below 85% of the state median income, participation in certain public assistance programs, homelessness, or involvement with child protective services. Families must also demonstrate a qualifying need, such as employment, job search, education or training, incapacity, or seeking housing stability. As of January 2025, the income threshold is $7,472 per month ($89,664 annually) for a family of three. Once deemed eligible, families are authorized for services for at least 24 months without recertification, unless income exceeds the threshold.

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation. Early childhood is a critical period for social-emotional development, shaping children's ability to regulate emotions, build relationships, and engage in learning. Children experiencing trauma, chronic stress, or unmet developmental needs may struggle in early care and education settings, sometimes leading to behavioral challenges and increased use of exclusionary discipline, including suspension and expulsions. ECMHC is a relationship-based approach designed to support both children and adults who care for them in these settings.

ECMHC is a preventive, capacity-building intervention in which mental health professionals partner with early childhood educators to strengthen classroom environments and relationships, rather than providing direct clinical services to children. Consultants work collaboratively with teachers, staff, and families to improve practices within the classroom. Through observation of classroom dynamics and child behavior, consultants help identify underlying causes of challenging behaviors and provide tailored coaching, strategies, and resources. This includes supporting developmentally appropriate practices, strengthening provider-child interactions, and creating more supportive and inclusive environments.

By focusing on prevention and capacity-building, ECMHC helps address concerns early before they escalate into more serious issues. It also supports providers in responding to children's needs in a consistent and informed manner, improving classroom climate and child outcomes. Research indicates that ECMHC is associated with reductions in children's externalizing behaviors, improvements in prosocial skills, increased provider confidence and competence, and stronger provider-child interactions.^[1] More recent studies find that consultation can lead to measurable improvements in children's social-emotional functioning, including increased initiative and self-regulation, as well as reductions in behavioral concerns, provider stress, and exclusionary practices.^[2]

In California, ECMHC support children from birth to six years of age and their families within publicly funded early learning settings. AB 2698 (Rubio), Chapter 946, Statutes of 2018, established these services, making them available to CSPP, CCTR, and Family Child Care Home Education Networks. Services may be provided by licensed mental health professionals, including marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, professional clinal counselors, psychologists, and child and adolescent psychiatrists, as well as supervised or qualified individuals as determined by the California Department of Education or the California Department of Social Services.

AB 2806 (Rubio), Chapter 915, Statutes of 2022, further defined the model by establishing requirements related to observation, screening, and implementation of a relationship-based, reflective consultation approach. This bill modifies those requirements by reducing the required frequency of classroom observations to at least once per year and allowing the use of a broader early care and education observation tool to inform consultation.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and Trauma-Informed Care. ACE, such as exposure to abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction, are associated with a range of negative outcomes in social-emotional development, behavior, and long-term health. In response, state and national efforts have focused on identifying and addressing trauma early by integrating screening and supportive practices into settings that serve young children and families.

In early care and education settings, this has included incorporating ACE screening into ECMHC to help identify children who may have experienced trauma and connect families to services. Screening may also inform consultation by providing context for children's behavior and developments. However, trauma-informed care extends beyond screening and emphasizes creating safe, stable, and supportive environments for children and families. ECMHC supports this approach by equipping providers with strategies to address children's needs in an early learning and care setting.

In practice, ACE screening has presented implementation challenges. Screening often requires trained professionals, involves sensitive information, and may be difficult to administer consistently across diverse settings. Research indicates that ECMHC is most effective when delivered flexibly and tailored to program needs, rather than relying on standardized screening requirements. As a result, ACE screening may be resource-intensive and may not align with the relationship-based nature of consultation.

Under current law, ECMHC must include a relationship-based model with specified requirements, including conducting at least two classroom observations per year and with parental consent, administering at least one ACE screening for each child. This bill instead requires the use of a classroom observation tool at least once per year and authorizes the ACE screening to be optional.

According to the Author

"[This bill] modernizes California's Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) model by updating program requirements to allow more flexible, relationship-based consultation that better supports children's social-emotional development. While ECMHC is a proven strategy for helping early educators address behavioral challenges and reduce suspensions and expulsions in early learning settings, feedback from providers and consultants indicates that some existing requirements create unnecessary administrative burdens that limit flexibility and discourage participation.

"[This bill] streamlines how ECMHC is implemented in California State Preschool Programs, General Child Care programs, and Family Child Care Home Education Networks by removing requirements that do not directly support consultation services. Specifically, the bill eliminates the requirement to administer the ACEs Screener for every child in a classroom receiving consultation services and reduces required classroom observations from twice per year to once per year in consultation with the classroom team. These updates will allow consultants and educators to focus on building relationships and developing consultation plans tailored to the needs of each classroom. As a former classroom teacher, I know how important it is to provide educators with the tools and support they need to create positive learning environments where every child can thrive. [This bill] ensures that more children, families, and educators across California can benefit from this proven model."

Arguments in Support

The Sponsors, Kidango, write, "[This bill] creates more flexibility for consultants and classrooms to co-develop a plan tailor-made for the needs of an individual classroom".

Arguments in Opposition

None on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee on August 3, 2026, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, this bill has negligible state costs.

VOTES:

ASM HUMAN SERVICES: 7-0-0

YES: Lee, Castillo, Gipson, Elhawary, Jackson, Solache, Tangipa

ASM EDUCATION: 9-0-0

YES: Patel, Hoover, Alvarez, Bonta, Castillo, Garcia, Lowenthal, Pellerin, Zbur

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 15-0-0

YES: Wicks, Hoover, Bauer-Kahan, Calderon, Caloza, Ellis, Fong, Mark González, Krell, Pacheco, Pellerin, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Ta, Tangipa

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 68-0-12

YES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Flora, Fong, Gallagher, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Irwin, Jackson, Johnson, Kalra, Krell, Lee, Macedo, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ransom, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Zbur, Rivas

ABS, ABST OR NV: Arambula, Chen, Gabriel, Garcia, Hoover, Lackey, Lowenthal, Ramos, Celeste Rodriguez, Schultz, Wicks, Wilson

UPDATED

VERSION: June 16, 2026

CONSULTANT: Bri-Ann Hernandez-Mengual / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089 FN: 0003327

1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10107797/pdf/IMHJ-44-5.pdf ↑

2. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/11/1497 ↑

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 2429

Author: Blanca Rubio (D)

Amended: 8/19/26 in Senate

Vote: 21

SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE: 5-0, 6/15/26

AYES: Becker, Ochoa Bogh, Laird, Pérez, Weber Pierson

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 7-0, 6/24/26

AYES: Pérez, Ochoa Bogh, Cabaldon, Choi, Cortese, Gonzalez, Reyes

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 68-0, 5/21/26 (Consent) - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Childcare: mental health consultation services

SOURCE: Kidango

DIGEST:

This bill (1) revises reimbursement requirements for early childhood mental health consultation services by requiring consultants to use an early care and education observation tool at least once per year in each classroom or setting, rather than twice per year; and (2) makes optional the requirement to administer at least one Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) screening.

Senate floor amendments of 8/19/26 adopt California Department of Social Services (CDSS) technical assistance.

ANALYSIS:

Existing Law:

1. Establishes the Early Education Act to provide an inclusive and cost-effective preschool program that provides high quality learning experiences, coordinated services, and referrals for families to access health and social-emotional support services through full- and part-day programs. (Education Code [EDC] §8200 et seq.)
2. Defines “early childhood mental health consultation service” as a service benefitting a child who is served in a California State Preschool Program (State Preschool). (EDC §8243)
3. Establishes the Child Care and Development Services Act to provide a comprehensive, coordinated, and cost-effective system of child care and development services for children from infancy to 13 years of age and their parents, including a full range of supervision, health, and support services through full- and part-time programs. (Welfare and Institutions Code [WIC] §10207 et seq.)
4. Defines “early childhood mental health consultation service” as a service benefitting an infant or toddler who is 0 to 36 months of age, inclusive, and is served in a General Child Care and Development program, or a child who is 0 to 5 years of age, inclusive, and is served in a Family Child Care Home Education Network setting funded by a General Child Care and Development Program. (WIC §10281)
5. Provides that early childhood mental health consultation service includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
   1. Support for providers, parents, legal guardians, and caregivers to create proactive trauma-informed, inclusive environments and to respond effectively to all children.
   2. Assistance through individual site consultations, provision of resources, formulation of training plans, referrals, and other methods that address the unique needs of programs and providers.
   3. Aid to providers, parents, legal guardians, and caregivers, and encouragement and facilitation of collaboration and communication, as specified.
   4. The development of strategies for addressing prevalent child mental health concerns, as specified.
   5. Support with the pursuit and documentation of reasonable steps to maintain a child’s safe participation in the program if a child exhibits persistent and serious behaviors.
   6. Face-to-face interactions or video-based platforms and other modes of communication, as specified.
   7. Group or individual consultations. (EDC §8243; WIC §10281)
6. Provides that the cost to an agency of providing an early childhood mental health consultation service shall be reimbursable if all of the following apply:
   1. The early childhood mental health consultation service is provided on a schedule of sufficient and consistent frequency, continuously throughout the program year, as specified.
   2. The early childhood mental health consultation service is provided by a licensed or credentialed professional, as specified; a license-eligible professional who is supervised by a fully licensed or credentialed professional, as specified; a person holding a master’s degree in a field related to mental health or human services, as specified.
      1. Allows a fully licensed or credentialed professional to be an employee of a contracting agency or engaged as an external contractor, as specified.
      2. Requires any person providing mental health consultation services to have a successful criminal background check.
   3. The early childhood mental health consultation service uses a relationship-based model emphasizing strengthening relationships among early childhood education providers, parents, children, and representatives of community systems and resources, and integrates reflective practice into the onsite consultation model. Requires the model to include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
      1. At least twice per program year, conducting early care and education setting-based mental health assessments, such as the “Climate of Health Interactions for Learning & Development”.
      2. Recordkeeping that adequately documents all consultation activities.
      3. With consent from parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for ACEs and screening for buffering factors, including, but not limited to, resilience.
   4. Within the first 30 days upon hire or start of a consultation service, requires a provider agency to ensure that a consultant is trained in professional ethics and statutory, regulatory, and decisional laws, as specified; child abuse and neglect mandated reporting laws; best practices and foundations of early childhood mental health consultation; and all relevant laws and regulations regarding state and federal child care programs.
   5. Requires consultants and supervisors to participate in continuing professional development and education for at least 18 hours per program year. (EDC §8243; WIC §10281)
7. Requires the California Department of Education and CDSS, in consultation, to issue guidance through management bulletins, all-county letters, or similar instructions until regulations are adopted. (EDC §8243; WIC §10281)

This bill:

1. Strikes the requirement for an early childhood mental health consultation service model include the conducting of an early care and education setting-based mental health assessment at least twice per program year.
2. Requires an early childhood mental health consultation service model to incorporate an early care and education observation tool.
   1. Specifies the observation tool must include measures on the environment, social-emotional learning climate, and teacher and child interactions to guide the specific activities and support the consultant shall provide.
   2. Provides that selecting an observation tool, choosing an observer, and the timing and cadence of observations may be planned with the classroom team or provider.
   3. Requires the observation tool to be administered at least once per school year in each classroom or setting receiving early childhood mental health consultation service.
   4. Authorizes assessment tools required by the California Department of Education or CDSS to be used to fulfill this requirement.
3. Changes the requirement to conduct at least one screening of each enrolled child for ACEs to be optional.

Background

Purpose of the Bill. According to the author, “AB 2429 modernizes California’s Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) model by updating program requirements to allow more flexible, relationship-based consultation that better supports children’s social-emotional development. While ECMHC is a proven strategy for helping early educators address behavioral challenges and reduce suspensions and expulsions in early learning settings, feedback from providers and consultants indicates that some existing requirements create unnecessary administrative burdens that limit flexibility and discourage participation.

“AB 2429 streamlines how ECMHC is implemented in California State Preschool Programs, General Child Care programs, and Family Child Care Home Education Networks by removing requirements that do not directly support consultation services. Specifically, the bill eliminates the requirement to administer the ACEs Screener for every child in a classroom receiving consultation services and instead makes it optional and reduces required classroom observations from twice per year to once per year in consultation with the classroom team.

“These updates will allow consultants and educators to focus on building relationships and developing consultation plans tailored to the needs of each classroom. As a former classroom teacher, I know how important it is to provide educators with the tools and support they need to create positive learning environments where every child can thrive. AB 2429 ensures that more children, families, and educators across California can benefit from this proven model.”

Subsidized Child Care. California’s subsidized child care system is designed to provide assistance for income eligible parents and guardians who are working, in training, seeking employment, incapacitated, or in need of respite. The state’s largest subsidized child care programs are General Child Care, Alternative Payment Programs, CalWORKs Child Care, and the California State Preschool Program (State Preschool). This bill applies to General Child Care and State Preschool.

General Child Care provides care through contracted child care centers and Family Child Care Home Education Networks. Families are income eligible for General Child Care if their household income is below 85% of the State Median Income, depending on family size. In 2025–26, a family of four is income eligible if their annual family income is at or below $108,237. State Preschool provides care for three- and four-year-olds at local educational agencies and some community-based centers. Current law additionally allows State Preschool programs to serve two-year-olds through June 30, 2027. Families are eligible for the California State Preschool Program if their income based on family size falls below 100% of the State Median Income. In 2025–26, a family of four is income eligible if their annual family income is at or below $127,338. State Preschool programs are under the purview of the Senate Education Committee.

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation. Early childhood mental health consultation is an evidence-informed service model that promotes social-emotional development to effectively address challenging behaviors in young children and reduce the need for preschool expulsions. These services are a multilevel intervention in which mental health professionals work alongside child care and preschool providers who care for children from birth to age six to, “promote healthy social-wellness and provide support to the families and child care providers of the child.” This support may include developing strategies for classroom management, providing referrals, and cultivating a deeper understanding of the factors that shape young children’s social-emotional development.

According to Georgetown University’s Center for Child and Human Development, the outcomes of the early childhood mental health consultation services include reduced rates of suspensions and expulsions, reduced challenging behaviors, improved parent-child relationships, fewer missed days of work for parents, and an improved classroom climate. Early childhood mental health consultation is being implemented in a range of settings, including child care and preschool, home visiting, primary care, and child welfare in states, localities, and Tribal communities across the country.

This bill revises the reimbursement requirements for early childhood mental health consultation services to require the use of an early care and education observation tool at least once per school or program year, rather than requiring early care and education mental health assessments to be conducted twice per program year. According to the bill sponsor, frequent observations are not always conducive to building a positive relationship between the early childhood mental health consultant and child care teacher, as they may contribute to teachers feeling judged or over-observed.

Adverse Childhood Experiences Screenings. Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs, are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood. Some examples include experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect; witnessing violence in the home or community; having a family member attempt or die by suicide; growing up in a household with substance use problems or mental health problems; instability due to parental separation or a household member being in jail or prison; not having enough food to eat; experiencing homelessness; or unstable housing. ACEs are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance use problems in adulthood. ACEs can also negatively impact education, job opportunities, and earning potential.

An ACEs screening evaluates children and adults for trauma that occurred during the first 18 years of life. Children ages 0 through 11 are assessed using the Pediatric ACEs and Related Life-events Screener child tool, which is completed by a parent or caregiver. As of January 2020, the Department of Health Care Services reimburses Medi-Cal providers on a per-screening basis for children and adults with Medi-Cal coverage. Pursuant to SB 428 (Hurtado, Chapter 641, Statutes of 2021), commercial health plans and health insurers that provide coverage for pediatric services and preventative care are also required to include coverage for ACEs screenings.

This bill makes the ACEs screening optional rather than required for reimbursement for early childhood mental health consultation services. According to this bill’s sponsor, conducting the ACEs screener requires a significant amount of parent interview time and poses the potential for parent discomfort, as the screener covers sensitive information that parents may not feel comfortable disclosing. Additionally, the screener is frequently conducted at well-child visits with pediatricians.

Related/Prior Legislation

AB 2806 (Blanca Rubio, Chapter 915, Statutes of 2022) revised and recast provisions related to expulsion and suspension of a child from the State Preschool program and broadens the provisions to include General Child Care and Development programs and Family Child Care Home Education Network programs.

SB 428 (Hurtado, Chapter 641, Statutes of 2021) required a health plan contract and health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2022, that provides coverage for pediatric services and preventative care to include coverage ACEs screenings.

AB 74 (Ting, Chapter 23, Statutes of 2019) appropriated Proposition 56 funding for ACEs screenings in Medi-Cal.

AB 752 (Rubio, Chapter 708, Statutes of 2017) prohibited a State Preschool program contracting agency from expelling or un-enrolling a child due to behavior unless certain steps are taken, as specified.

Comments

Since 2015, child care and preschool programs nationwide have implemented policies to reduce and eliminate preschool expulsion due to substantial evidence that these practices lead to lifelong negative consequences for children—particularly for Black/African American children. This bill seeks to lower barriers to entry to encourage more child care and preschool programs to offer early childhood mental health consultation services in their classrooms. By reducing assessment requirements, this bill seeks to allow early childhood mental health consultants to use their time visiting classrooms however they see fit to support teachers and children. According to the bill sponsor, the changes proposed in this bill reflect feedback from early childhood mental health consultants and early childhood teachers.

[Note: See the Senate Education Committee analysis for additional background on this bill.]

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

SUPPORT: (Verified 8/19/26)

Kidango (Sponsor)
Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles
Clovis Unified Preschool
Early Edge California
First 5 Association of California
Fresno County Office of Education
Lindsay Unified School District Preschool/TK Program
Options for Learning
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
The Children's Partnership
YMCA of San Diego County

OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/19/26)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 68-0, 5/21/26

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Flora, Fong, Gallagher, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Irwin, Jackson, Johnson, Kalra, Krell, Lee, Macedo, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ransom, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Zbur, Rivas

NO VOTE RECORDED: Arambula, Chen, Gabriel, Garcia, Hoover, Lackey, Lowenthal, Ramos, Celeste Rodriguez, Schultz, Wicks, Wilson

Prepared by: Diana Dominguez / HUMAN S. / (916) 651-1524

8/20/26 10:56:18

**** END ****

 THIRD READING 

Bill No: AB 2429

Author: Blanca Rubio (D)

Amended: 6/29/26 in Senate

Vote: 21

SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE: 5-0, 6/15/26

AYES: Becker, Ochoa Bogh, Laird, Pérez, Weber Pierson

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 7-0, 6/24/26

AYES: Pérez, Ochoa Bogh, Cabaldon, Choi, Cortese, Gonzalez, Reyes

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 68-0, 5/21/26 (Consent) - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Childcare: mental health consultation services

SOURCE: Kidango

DIGEST:

This bill (1) revises reimbursement requirements for early childhood mental health consultation services by requiring consultants to use an early care and education classroom observation tool at least once per year in each classroom, rather than twice per year; (2) makes optional the requirement to administer at least one Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) screening.

ANALYSIS:

Existing Law:

1. Establishes the Early Education Act to provide an inclusive and cost-effective preschool program that provides high quality learning experiences, coordinated services, and referrals for families to access health and social-emotional support services through full- and part-day programs. (Education Code [EDC] §8200 et seq.)
2. Defines “early childhood mental health consultation service” as a service benefitting a child who is served in a California State Preschool Program (State Preschool). (EDC §8243)
3. Establishes the Child Care and Development Services Act to provide a comprehensive, coordinated, and cost-effective system of child care and development services for children from infancy to 13 years of age and their parents, including a full range of supervision, health, and support services through full- and part-time programs. (Welfare and Institutions Code [WIC] §10207 et seq.)
4. Defines “early childhood mental health consultation service” as a service benefitting an infant or toddler who is 0 to 36 months of age, inclusive, and is served in a General Child Care and Development program, or a child who is 0 to 5 years of age, inclusive, and is served in a Family Child Care Home Education Network setting funded by a General Child Care and Development Program. (WIC §10281)
5. Provides that early childhood mental health consultation service includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
   1. Support for providers, parents, legal guardians, and caregivers to create proactive trauma-informed, inclusive environments and to respond effectively to all children.
   2. Assistance through individual site consultations, provision of resources, formulation of training plans, referrals, and other methods that address the unique needs of programs and providers.
   3. Aid to providers, parents, legal guardians, and caregivers, and encouragement and facilitation of collaboration and communication, as specified.
   4. The development of strategies for addressing prevalent child mental health concerns, as specified.
   5. Support with the pursuit and documentation of reasonable steps to maintain a child’s safe participation in the program if a child exhibits persistent and serious behaviors.
   6. Face-to-face interactions or video-based platforms and other modes of communication, as specified.
   7. Group or individual consultations. (EDC §8243; WIC §10281)
6. Provides that the cost to an agency of providing an early childhood mental health consultation service shall be reimbursable if all of the following apply:
   1. The early childhood mental health consultation service is provided on a schedule of sufficient and consistent frequency, continuously throughout the program year, as specified.
   2. The early childhood mental health consultation service is provided by a licensed or credentialed professional, as specified; a license-eligible professional who is supervised by a fully licensed or credentialed professional, as specified; a person holding a master’s degree in a field related to mental health or human services, as specified.
      1. Allows a fully licensed or credentialed professional to be an employee of a contracting agency or engaged as an external contractor, as specified.
      2. Requires any person providing mental health consultation services to have a successful criminal background check.
   3. The early childhood mental health consultation service uses a relationship-based model emphasizing strengthening relationships among early childhood education providers, parents, children, and representatives of community systems and resources, and integrates reflective practice into the onsite consultation model. Requires the model to include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
      1. At least twice per program year, conducting early care and education setting-based mental health assessments, such as the “Climate of Health Interactions for Learning & Development”.
      2. Recordkeeping that adequately documents all consultation activities.
      3. With consent from parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for ACEs and screening for buffering factors, including, but not limited to, resilience.
   4. Within the first 30 days upon hire or start of a consultation service, requires a provider agency to ensure that a consultant is trained in professional ethics and statutory, regulatory, and decisional laws, as specified; child abuse and neglect mandated reporting laws; best practices and foundations of early childhood mental health consultation; and all relevant laws and regulations regarding state and federal child care programs.
   5. Requires consultants and supervisors to participate in continuing professional development and education for at least 18 hours per program year. (EDC §8243; WIC §10281)
7. Requires the California Department of Education and CDSS, in consultation, to issue guidance through management bulletins, all-county letters, or similar instructions until regulations are adopted. (EDC §8243; WIC §10281)

This bill:

1. Strikes the requirement for an early childhood mental health consultation service model include the conducting of an early care and education setting-based mental health assessment at least twice per program year.
2. Requires an early childhood mental health consultation service model to incorporate an early care and education classroom observation tool.
   1. Specifies the observation tool must include measures on the classroom environment, social-emotional learning climate, and teacher and child interactions to guide the specific activities and support the consultant shall provide.
   2. Provides that selecting a classroom observation tool, choosing an observer, and the timing and cadence of observations may be planned with the classroom team.
   3. Requires the classroom observation tool to be administered at least once per school year in each classroom receiving early childhood mental health consultation service.
   4. Authorizes classroom assessment tools required by the California Department of Education or CDSS to be used to fulfill this requirement.
3. Changes the requirement to conduct at least one screening of each enrolled child for ACEs to be optional.

Background

Purpose of the Bill. According to the author, “AB 2429 modernizes California’s Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) model by updating program requirements to allow more flexible, relationship-based consultation that better supports children’s social-emotional development. While ECMHC is a proven strategy for helping early educators address behavioral challenges and reduce suspensions and expulsions in early learning settings, feedback from providers and consultants indicates that some existing requirements create unnecessary administrative burdens that limit flexibility and discourage participation.

“AB 2429 streamlines how ECMHC is implemented in California State Preschool Programs, General Child Care programs, and Family Child Care Home Education Networks by removing requirements that do not directly support consultation services. Specifically, the bill eliminates the requirement to administer the ACEs Screener for every child in a classroom receiving consultation services and instead makes it optional and reduces required classroom observations from twice per year to once per year in consultation with the classroom team.

“These updates will allow consultants and educators to focus on building relationships and developing consultation plans tailored to the needs of each classroom. As a former classroom teacher, I know how important it is to provide educators with the tools and support they need to create positive learning environments where every child can thrive. AB 2429 ensures that more children, families, and educators across California can benefit from this proven model.”

Subsidized Child Care. California’s subsidized child care system is designed to provide assistance for income eligible parents and guardians who are working, in training, seeking employment, incapacitated, or in need of respite. The state’s largest subsidized child care programs are General Child Care, Alternative Payment Programs, CalWORKs Child Care, and the California State Preschool Program (State Preschool). This bill applies to General Child Care and State Preschool.

General Child Care provides care through contracted child care centers and Family Child Care Home Education Networks. Families are income eligible for General Child Care if their household income is below 85% of the State Median Income, depending on family size. In 2025–26, a family of four is income eligible if their annual family income is at or below $108,237.

State Preschool provides care for three- and four-year-olds at local educational agencies and some community-based centers. Current law additionally allows State Preschool programs to serve two-year-olds through June 30, 2027. Families are eligible for the California State Preschool Program if their income based on family size falls below 100% of the State Median Income. In 2025–26, a family of four is income eligible if their annual family income is at or below $127,338. State Preschool programs are under the purview of the Senate Education Committee.

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation. Early childhood mental health consultation is an evidence-informed service model that promotes social-emotional development to effectively address challenging behaviors in young children and reduce the need for preschool expulsions. These services are a multilevel intervention in which mental health professionals work alongside child care and preschool providers who care for children from birth to age six to, “promote healthy social-wellness and provide support to the families and child care providers of the child.” This support may include developing strategies for classroom management, providing referrals, and cultivating a deeper understanding of the factors that shape young children’s social-emotional development.

According to Georgetown University’s Center for Child and Human Development, the outcomes of the early childhood mental health consultation services include reduced rates of suspensions and expulsions, reduced challenging behaviors, improved parent-child relationships, fewer missed days of work for parents, and an improved classroom climate. Early childhood mental health consultation is being implemented in a range of settings, including child care and preschool, home visiting, primary care, and child welfare in states, localities, and Tribal communities across the country.

This bill revises the reimbursement requirements for early childhood mental health consultation services to require the use of an early care and education classroom observation tool at least once per school or program year, rather than requiring early care and education mental health assessments to be conducted twice per program year. According to the bill sponsor, frequent observations are not always conducive to building a positive relationship between the early childhood mental health consultant and child care teacher, as they may contribute to teachers feeling judged or over-observed.

Adverse Childhood Experiences Screenings. Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs, are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood. Some examples include experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect; witnessing violence in the home or community; having a family member attempt or die by suicide; growing up in a household with substance use problems or mental health problems; instability due to parental separation or a household member being in jail or prison; not having enough food to eat; experiencing homelessness; or unstable housing. ACEs are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance use problems in adulthood. ACEs can also negatively impact education, job opportunities, and earning potential.

An ACEs screening evaluates children and adults for trauma that occurred during the first 18 years of life. Children ages 0 through 11 are assessed using the Pediatric ACEs and Related Life-events Screener child tool, which is completed by a parent or caregiver. As of January 2020, the Department of Health Care Services reimburses Medi-Cal providers on a per-screening basis for children and adults with Medi-Cal coverage. Pursuant to SB 428 (Hurtado, Chapter 641, Statutes of 2021), commercial health plans and health insurers that provide coverage for pediatric services and preventative care are also required to include coverage for ACEs screenings.

This bill makes the ACEs screening optional rather than required for reimbursement for early childhood mental health consultation services. According to this bill’s sponsor, conducting the ACEs screener requires a significant amount of parent interview time and poses the potential for parent discomfort, as the screener covers sensitive information that parents may not feel comfortable disclosing. Additionally, the screener is frequently conducted at well-child visits with pediatricians.

Related/Prior Legislation

AB 2806 (Blanca Rubio, Chapter 915, Statutes of 2022) revised and recast provisions related to expulsion and suspension of a child from the State Preschool program and broadens the provisions to include General Child Care and Development programs and Family Child Care Home Education Network programs.

SB 428 (Hurtado, Chapter 641, Statutes of 2021) required a health plan contract and health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2022, that provides coverage for pediatric services and preventative care to include coverage ACEs screenings.

AB 74 (Ting, Chapter 23, Statutes of 2019) appropriated Proposition 56 funding for ACEs screenings in Medi-Cal.

AB 752 (Rubio, Chapter 708, Statutes of 2017) prohibited a State Preschool program contracting agency from expelling or un-enrolling a child due to behavior unless certain steps are taken, as specified.

Comments

Since 2015, child care and preschool programs nationwide have implemented policies to reduce and eliminate preschool expulsion due to substantial evidence that these practices lead to lifelong negative consequences for children—particularly for Black/African American children. This bill seeks to lower barriers to entry to encourage more child care and preschool programs to offer early childhood mental health consultation services in their classrooms. By reducing assessment requirements, this bill seeks to allow early childhood mental health consultants to use their time visiting classrooms however they see fit to support teachers and children. According to the bill sponsor, the changes proposed in this bill reflect feedback from early childhood mental health consultants and early childhood teachers.

[Note: See the Senate Education Committee analysis for additional background on this bill.]

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

Senate Rule 28.8

SUPPORT: (Verified 8/3/26)

Kidango (Sponsor)
Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles
Clovis Unified Preschool
Early Edge California
First 5 Association of California
Fresno County Office of Education
Lindsay Unified School District Preschool/TK Program
Options for Learning
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
The Children's Partnership
YMCA of San Diego County

OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/3/26)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 68-0, 5/21/26

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Flora, Fong, Gallagher, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Irwin, Jackson, Johnson, Kalra, Krell, Lee, Macedo, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ransom, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Zbur, Rivas

NO VOTE RECORDED: Arambula, Chen, Gabriel, Garcia, Hoover, Lackey, Lowenthal, Ramos, Celeste Rodriguez, Schultz, Wicks, Wilson

Prepared by: Diana Dominguez / HUMAN S. / (916) 651-1524

8/6/26 11:39:37

**** END ****

 CONSENT  

Bill No: AB 2429

Author: Blanca Rubio (D)

Amended: 6/29/26 in Senate

Vote: 21

SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE: 5-0, 6/15/26

AYES: Becker, Ochoa Bogh, Laird, Pérez, Weber Pierson

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 7-0, 6/24/26

AYES: Pérez, Ochoa Bogh, Cabaldon, Choi, Cortese, Gonzalez, Reyes

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 68-0, 5/21/26 (Consent) - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Childcare: mental health consultation services

SOURCE: Kidango

DIGEST:

This bill (1) revises reimbursement requirements for early childhood mental health consultation services by requiring consultants to use an early care and education classroom observation tool at least once per year in each classroom, rather than twice per year; (2) makes optional the requirement to administer at least one Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) screening.

ANALYSIS:

Existing Law:

1. Establishes the Early Education Act to provide an inclusive and cost-effective preschool program that provides high quality learning experiences, coordinated services, and referrals for families to access health and social-emotional support services through full- and part-day programs. (Education Code [EDC] §8200 et seq.)
2. Defines “early childhood mental health consultation service” as a service benefitting a child who is served in a California State Preschool Program (State Preschool). (EDC §8243)
3. Establishes the Child Care and Development Services Act to provide a comprehensive, coordinated, and cost-effective system of child care and development services for children from infancy to 13 years of age and their parents, including a full range of supervision, health, and support services through full- and part-time programs. (Welfare and Institutions Code [WIC] §10207 et seq.)
4. Defines “early childhood mental health consultation service” as a service benefitting an infant or toddler who is 0 to 36 months of age, inclusive, and is served in a General Child Care and Development program, or a child who is 0 to 5 years of age, inclusive, and is served in a Family Child Care Home Education Network setting funded by a General Child Care and Development Program. (WIC §10281)
5. Provides that early childhood mental health consultation service includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
   1. Support for providers, parents, legal guardians, and caregivers to create proactive trauma-informed, inclusive environments and to respond effectively to all children.
   2. Assistance through individual site consultations, provision of resources, formulation of training plans, referrals, and other methods that address the unique needs of programs and providers.
   3. Aid to providers, parents, legal guardians, and caregivers, and encouragement and facilitation of collaboration and communication, as specified.
   4. The development of strategies for addressing prevalent child mental health concerns, as specified.
   5. Support with the pursuit and documentation of reasonable steps to maintain a child’s safe participation in the program if a child exhibits persistent and serious behaviors.
   6. Face-to-face interactions or video-based platforms and other modes of communication, as specified.
   7. Group or individual consultations. (EDC §8243; WIC §10281)
6. Provides that the cost to an agency of providing an early childhood mental health consultation service shall be reimbursable if all of the following apply:
   1. The early childhood mental health consultation service is provided on a schedule of sufficient and consistent frequency, continuously throughout the program year, as specified.
   2. The early childhood mental health consultation service is provided by a licensed or credentialed professional, as specified; a license-eligible professional who is supervised by a fully licensed or credentialed professional, as specified; a person holding a master’s degree in a field related to mental health or human services, as specified.
      1. Allows a fully licensed or credentialed professional to be an employee of a contracting agency or engaged as an external contractor, as specified.
      2. Requires any person providing mental health consultation services to have a successful criminal background check.
   3. The early childhood mental health consultation service uses a relationship-based model emphasizing strengthening relationships among early childhood education providers, parents, children, and representatives of community systems and resources, and integrates reflective practice into the onsite consultation model. Requires the model to include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
      1. At least twice per program year, conducting early care and education setting-based mental health assessments, such as the “Climate of Health Interactions for Learning & Development”.
      2. Recordkeeping that adequately documents all consultation activities.
      3. With consent from parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for ACEs and screening for buffering factors, including, but not limited to, resilience.
   4. Within the first 30 days upon hire or start of a consultation service, requires a provider agency to ensure that a consultant is trained in professional ethics and statutory, regulatory, and decisional laws, as specified; child abuse and neglect mandated reporting laws; best practices and foundations of early childhood mental health consultation; and all relevant laws and regulations regarding state and federal child care programs.
   5. Requires consultants and supervisors to participate in continuing professional development and education for at least 18 hours per program year. (EDC §8243; WIC §10281)
7. Requires the California Department of Education and CDSS, in consultation, to issue guidance through management bulletins, all-county letters, or similar instructions until regulations are adopted. (EDC §8243; WIC §10281)

This bill:

1. Strikes the requirement for an early childhood mental health consultation service model include the conducting of an early care and education setting-based mental health assessment at least twice per program year.
2. Requires an early childhood mental health consultation service model to incorporate an early care and education classroom observation tool.
   1. Specifies the observation tool must include measures on the classroom environment, social-emotional learning climate, and teacher and child interactions to guide the specific activities and support the consultant shall provide.
   2. Provides that selecting a classroom observation tool, choosing an observer, and the timing and cadence of observations may be planned with the classroom team.
   3. Requires the classroom observation tool to be administered at least once per school year in each classroom receiving early childhood mental health consultation service.
   4. Authorizes classroom assessment tools required by the California Department of Education or CDSS to be used to fulfill this requirement.
3. Changes the requirement to conduct at least one screening of each enrolled child for ACEs to be optional.

Background

Purpose of the Bill. According to the author, “AB 2429 modernizes California’s Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) model by updating program requirements to allow more flexible, relationship-based consultation that better supports children’s social-emotional development. While ECMHC is a proven strategy for helping early educators address behavioral challenges and reduce suspensions and expulsions in early learning settings, feedback from providers and consultants indicates that some existing requirements create unnecessary administrative burdens that limit flexibility and discourage participation.

“AB 2429 streamlines how ECMHC is implemented in California State Preschool Programs, General Child Care programs, and Family Child Care Home Education Networks by removing requirements that do not directly support consultation services. Specifically, the bill eliminates the requirement to administer the ACEs Screener for every child in a classroom receiving consultation services and instead makes it optional and reduces required classroom observations from twice per year to once per year in consultation with the classroom team.

“These updates will allow consultants and educators to focus on building relationships and developing consultation plans tailored to the needs of each classroom. As a former classroom teacher, I know how important it is to provide educators with the tools and support they need to create positive learning environments where every child can thrive. AB 2429 ensures that more children, families, and educators across California can benefit from this proven model.”

Subsidized Child Care. California’s subsidized child care system is designed to provide assistance for income eligible parents and guardians who are working, in training, seeking employment, incapacitated, or in need of respite. The state’s largest subsidized child care programs are General Child Care, Alternative Payment Programs, CalWORKs Child Care, and the California State Preschool Program (State Preschool). This bill applies to General Child Care and State Preschool.

General Child Care provides care through contracted child care centers and Family Child Care Home Education Networks. Families are income eligible for General Child Care if their household income is below 85% of the State Median Income, depending on family size. In 2025–26, a family of four is income eligible if their annual family income is at or below $108,237.

State Preschool provides care for three- and four-year-olds at local educational agencies and some community-based centers. Current law additionally allows State Preschool programs to serve two-year-olds through June 30, 2027. Families are eligible for the California State Preschool Program if their income based on family size falls below 100% of the State Median Income. In 2025–26, a family of four is income eligible if their annual family income is at or below $127,338. State Preschool programs are under the purview of the Senate Education Committee.

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation. Early childhood mental health consultation is an evidence-informed service model that promotes social-emotional development to effectively address challenging behaviors in young children and reduce the need for preschool expulsions. These services are a multilevel intervention in which mental health professionals work alongside child care and preschool providers who care for children from birth to age six to, “promote healthy social-wellness and provide support to the families and child care providers of the child.” This support may include developing strategies for classroom management, providing referrals, and cultivating a deeper understanding of the factors that shape young children’s social-emotional development.

According to Georgetown University’s Center for Child and Human Development, the outcomes of the early childhood mental health consultation services include reduced rates of suspensions and expulsions, reduced challenging behaviors, improved parent-child relationships, fewer missed days of work for parents, and an improved classroom climate. Early childhood mental health consultation is being implemented in a range of settings, including child care and preschool, home visiting, primary care, and child welfare in states, localities, and Tribal communities across the country.

This bill revises the reimbursement requirements for early childhood mental health consultation services to require the use of an early care and education classroom observation tool at least once per school or program year, rather than requiring early care and education mental health assessments to be conducted twice per program year. According to the bill sponsor, frequent observations are not always conducive to building a positive relationship between the early childhood mental health consultant and child care teacher, as they may contribute to teachers feeling judged or over-observed.

Adverse Childhood Experiences Screenings. Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs, are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood. Some examples include experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect; witnessing violence in the home or community; having a family member attempt or die by suicide; growing up in a household with substance use problems or mental health problems; instability due to parental separation or a household member being in jail or prison; not having enough food to eat; experiencing homelessness; or unstable housing. ACEs are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance use problems in adulthood. ACEs can also negatively impact education, job opportunities, and earning potential.

An ACEs screening evaluates children and adults for trauma that occurred during the first 18 years of life. Children ages 0 through 11 are assessed using the Pediatric ACEs and Related Life-events Screener child tool, which is completed by a parent or caregiver. As of January 2020, the Department of Health Care Services reimburses Medi-Cal providers on a per-screening basis for children and adults with Medi-Cal coverage. Pursuant to SB 428 (Hurtado, Chapter 641, Statutes of 2021), commercial health plans and health insurers that provide coverage for pediatric services and preventative care are also required to include coverage for ACEs screenings.

This bill makes the ACEs screening optional rather than required for reimbursement for early childhood mental health consultation services. According to this bill’s sponsor, conducting the ACEs screener requires a significant amount of parent interview time and poses the potential for parent discomfort, as the screener covers sensitive information that parents may not feel comfortable disclosing. Additionally, the screener is frequently conducted at well-child visits with pediatricians.

Related/Prior Legislation

AB 2806 (Blanca Rubio, Chapter 915, Statutes of 2022) revised and recast provisions related to expulsion and suspension of a child from the State Preschool program and broadens the provisions to include General Child Care and Development programs and Family Child Care Home Education Network programs.

SB 428 (Hurtado, Chapter 641, Statutes of 2021) required a health plan contract and health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2022, that provides coverage for pediatric services and preventative care to include coverage ACEs screenings.

AB 74 (Ting, Chapter 23, Statutes of 2019) appropriated Proposition 56 funding for ACEs screenings in Medi-Cal.

AB 752 (Rubio, Chapter 708, Statutes of 2017) prohibited a State Preschool program contracting agency from expelling or un-enrolling a child due to behavior unless certain steps are taken, as specified.

Comments

Since 2015, child care and preschool programs nationwide have implemented policies to reduce and eliminate preschool expulsion due to substantial evidence that these practices lead to lifelong negative consequences for children—particularly for Black/African American children. This bill seeks to lower barriers to entry to encourage more child care and preschool programs to offer early childhood mental health consultation services in their classrooms. By reducing assessment requirements, this bill seeks to allow early childhood mental health consultants to use their time visiting classrooms however they see fit to support teachers and children. According to the bill sponsor, the changes proposed in this bill reflect feedback from early childhood mental health consultants and early childhood teachers.

[Note: See the Senate Education Committee analysis for additional background on this bill.]

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

Senate Rule 28.8

SUPPORT: (Verified 8/3/26)

Kidango (Sponsor)
Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles
Clovis Unified Preschool
Early Edge California
First 5 Association of California
Fresno County Office of Education
Lindsay Unified School District Preschool/TK Program
Options for Learning
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
The Children's Partnership
YMCA of San Diego County

OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/3/26)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 68-0, 5/21/26

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Flora, Fong, Gallagher, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Irwin, Jackson, Johnson, Kalra, Krell, Lee, Macedo, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ransom, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Zbur, Rivas

NO VOTE RECORDED: Arambula, Chen, Gabriel, Garcia, Hoover, Lackey, Lowenthal, Ramos, Celeste Rodriguez, Schultz, Wicks, Wilson

Prepared by: Diana Dominguez / HUMAN S. / (916) 651-1524

8/5/26 15:04:46

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular

Bill No: Hearing Date: June 24, 2026

Subject: .

SUMMARY

This bill revises the requirements for early childhood mental health consultation (ECMHC) services reimbursement by requiring consultants to use an early care and education classroom observation tool at least once per year in each classroom, rather than twice per year. This bill also makes optional the requirement to administer at least one Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) screening.

BACKGROUND

Existing law:

1. Establishes the Early Education Act to provide an inclusive and cost-effective preschool program that provides high quality learning experiences, coordinated services, and referrals for families to access health and social-emotional support services through full- and part-day programs. (Education Code (EC) § 8200 et seq.)
2. Defines the following terms:
   1. “California State Preschool Program (CSPP)” as educational programs that offer part-day, full-day, or both, for eligible two-, three-, and four-year-old children, and commencing July 1, 2027, these programs will be for eligible three- and four-year-old children only and will no longer be available to two-year-old children. Provides that these programs may be offered by a public, private, or proprietary agency, and operated in childcare centers or family childcare homes operating through a family childcare home education network. Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to administer all CSPP programs. (EC § 8205 and EC § 8207)
   2. “Early childhood mental health consultation service” means a service benefiting a child who is served in a CSPP, which includes, but is not limited to the following:
      1. Support for providers, parents, legal guardians, and caregivers to create trauma-informed, proactive, inclusive environments and to respond effectively to all children.
      2. Assistance through individual site consultations, provision of resources, formulation of training plans, referrals, and other methods that address the unique needs of programs and providers.
      3. Aid to providers, parents, legal guardians, and caregivers, and encouragement and facilitation of collaboration and communication, in developing the skills and tools needed to be successful as they support the development and early learning of all children, including observing environments, facilitating the development of action plans, and supporting site implementation of those plans.
      4. The development of strategies for addressing prevalent child mental health concerns, including internalizing problems, such as appearing withdrawn, and externalizing problems, such as exhibiting persistent and serious behaviors.
      5. If a child exhibits persistent and serious behaviors, support with the pursuit and documentation of reasonable steps to maintain the child’s safe participation in the program, as described.
      6. Face-to-face interactions or video-based platforms and other modes of communication that are compliant with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (Public Law 104-191), such as the telephone.
      7. Group or individual consultations of any of the actions, as described. (EC § 8243)
3. Requires that the cost to an agency of providing an ECMHC service be reimbursable if all of the following apply:
   1. The ECMHC service is provided on a schedule of sufficient and consistent frequency continuously throughout the program year, to significantly contribute to all of the following: i) improving interpersonal relationships and child outcomes; ii) increasing the confidence, competence, and well-being of those consulted; and iii) eliminating suspensions and expulsions.
   2. The ECMHC service is provided by specified persons.
   3. The ECMHC service uses a relationship-based model emphasizing strengthening relationships among early childhood education providers, parents, children, and representatives of community systems and resources, and integrates reflective practice into the onsite consultation model.
   4. A provider agency ensures, within the first 30 days upon hire or start of consultation service, that a consultant is trained, as specified.
   5. Consultants and supervisors are required to participate in continuing professional development and education for at least 18 hours per program year, and topics may include, but are not limited to, infant-family and early childhood mental health, implicit bias and equity, trauma-informed practice, early childhood development, and consultation. (EC § 8243)
4. Provides that the ECMHC service is provided by one of the following persons who has had a successful criminal background check:
   1. A licensed mental health professional, as described, who: has at least three years of experience providing mental health services to children zero to five years of age; has training in infant, family, and early childhood mental health; is adequately insured; has held their respective license for a minimum of two years; and is in full compliance with all continuing education requirements applicable to their profession. This person may be an employee of a contracting agency, including on a temporary or part-time basis, or engaged as an external contractor, provided that supervision takes place on a regular basis that is sufficient to offer professional guidance and support.
   2. A license-eligible mental health professional, as described, who is supervised by a licensed mental health professional.
   3. A person holding, at a minimum, a master’s degree in a field related to mental health or human services, as described, and who has at least two years of experience working with children zero to five years of age and who is supervised by a licensed mental health professional. (EC § 8243)
5. Requires the relationship-based model used for ECMHC services include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
   1. At least twice per program year, conducting early care and education setting based mental health assessments.
   2. Recordkeeping that adequately documents all consultation activities.
   3. With consent from parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for ACEs and screening for buffering factors, including, but not limited to, resilience. (EC § 8243)
6. Prohibits the expulsion of a child with an individualized education program (IEP) or individualized family service plan (IFSP) if the challenging behavior has a direct and substantial relationship to the child’s disability or is the result of a failure to implement the IEP or IFSP. Requires that a child’s IEP/IFSP team be reconvened to consider special education supports and services if a child is suspended for more than 10 days. (Code of Federal Regulations, Title 34 § 300.530(e))
7. Establishes the adjustment factor of 1.1 for specified programs where ECMH services are provided, which is multiplied by the contractor’s reported child days of enrollment. (EC § 8244)

ANALYSIS

This bill:

1. Requires that the ECMHC service used in CSPP programs and General Child Care programs include the following:
   1. Informed by an early care and education classroom observation tool that includes measures on the classroom environment, social-emotional learning climate, and teacher and child interactions to guide the specific activities and support the consultant would provide.
   2. Administered the classroom observation tool at least once per school year in each classroom receiving ECMHC service.
2. Allows that selecting a classroom observation tool, choosing an observer, and the timing and cadence of observations may be planned with the classroom team.
3. Authorizes that classroom assessment tools required by the California Department of Education or the California Department of Social Services be used to fulfill the specified requirement.
4. Removes a screening from the ECMHC model for buffering factors, which includes, but is not limited to, resilience.

STAFF COMMENTS

1. Need for the bill. According to the author, “AB 2429 modernizes California’s Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) model by updating program requirements to allow more flexible, relationship-based consultation that better supports children’s social-emotional development. While ECMHC is a proven strategy for helping early educators address behavioral challenges and reduce suspensions and expulsions in early learning settings, feedback from providers and consultants indicates that some existing requirements create unnecessary administrative burdens that limit flexibility and discourage participation.”

The author continues, “AB 2429 streamlines how ECMHC is implemented in California State Preschool Programs, General Child Care programs, and Family Child Care Home Education Networks by removing requirements that do not directly support consultation services. … These updates will allow consultants and educators to focus on building relationships and developing consultation plans tailored to the needs of each classroom. As a former classroom teacher, I know how important it is to provide educators with the tools and support they need to create positive learning environments where every child can thrive. AB 2429 ensures that more children, families, and educators across California can benefit from this proven model.”

1. What is an ECMHC? ECMHC is designed to build the capacity of program staff and care providers to foster the developmental, social, and emotional health and well-being of young children in their care. ECMHC specialists and consultants use reflective practice approaches to support program administrators, teachers, and providers while exploring problem-solving strategies within the context of infant and early childhood mental health. According to the author, “ECMHC is the most proven model of social-emotional support that can reduce expulsion in preschool and childcare.”
2. This bill seeks to provide more flexibility to ECMHC consultants and early childhood education providers. One component of the ECMHC service model is an early care and education classroom observation tool. This bill revises the requirements for ECMHC services reimbursement by requiring consultants to use an early care and education classroom observation tool at least once per year in each classroom, rather than twice per year. In a survey from the sponsor, consultants reported that observations are not always conducive to building a positive relationship with providers, who may feel judged or over-observed, and it can be particularly challenging when providers are already experiencing other assessments via state requirements or other tools their program may be using.

In addition, this bill provides flexibility for the consultant to select a classroom observation tool, an observer, and the timing and cadence of the observations, and encourages for these design features to be planned with the classroom team. These changes are intended to give ECMHC specialists and consultants more flexibility to tailor their approach, including the number of classroom observations, to the specific classroom, program, and children they are serving.

Finally, this bill makes optional the requirement to administer at least one ACEs screening. In practice, feedback from providers and ECMHC consultants have shown that ACEs screenings have been challenging to implement. This is due to a significant amount of parent interview time, as well as possible parent discomfort as the screener covers sensitive information parents may not feel comfortable disclosing. Additionally, as this screener has become more widely used in the state, it is more frequently conducted in well-child visits with pediatricians. This may be a setting where parents feel more comfortable sharing sensitive information.

1. Committee amendments. Committee staff recommends, and the author accepts, an amendment to address unclear phrasing in the current bill version, to read as follows for both CSPP programs and General Child Care programs:

(3)(A) … This model shall include, but not be limited to, both of the following: The early childhood mental health consultation service model shall incorporate the following:

(i) The early childhood mental health consultation service be informed by an An early care and education classroom observation tool that includes measures on the classroom environment, social-emotional learning climate, and teacher and child interactions to guide the specific activities and support the consultant shall provide. Selecting a classroom observation tool, choosing an observer, and the timing and cadence of observations may be planned with the classroom team. The classroom observation tool shall be administered at least once per school year in each classroom receiving early childhood mental health consultation service. Classroom assessment tools required by the department may be used to fulfill this requirement. 

1. Related and Prior Legislation.

AB 2806 (Blanca Rubio, Chapter 915, Statutes of 2022) revises and recasts provisions related to expulsion and suspension of a child from a CSPP programs and broadens the provisions to include General Child Care and Development programs and Family Child Care Home Education Network programs.

AB 2698 (Rubio, Chapter 946, Statutes of 2018) defines ECMHC service, declares legislative intent encouraging the provision of such services in CSPP programs, General Child Care and Development programs, and Family Child Care Home Education Networks funded by a General Child Care and Development program, and requires, under certain circumstances, the application of a reimbursement rate adjustment factor for children served in programs where these services are provided.

SUPPORT

Kidango (sponsor)
Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles
Clovis Unified Preschool
Early Edge California
First 5 Association of California
Lindsay Unified School District Preschool/TK Program
Options for Learning
YMCA of San Diego County

OPPOSITION

None received

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

Senator Becker, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular

Subject: Childcare: mental health consultation services

SUMMARY

This bill would revise the requirements for early childhood mental health consultation services reimbursement by requiring consultants to use an early care and education classroom observation tool at least once per year in each classroom. This bill would make optional the requirement to administer at least one Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) screening.

ABSTRACT

Existing Law:

1. Establishes the Early Education Act to provide an inclusive and cost-effective preschool program that provides high quality learning experiences, coordinated services, and referrals for families to access health and social-emotional support services through full- and part-day programs. (Education Code [EDC] 8200 et seq.)
2. Defines “early childhood mental health consultation service” as a service benefitting a child who is served in a California State Preschool Program (State Preschool). (EDC 8243)
3. Establishes the Child Care and Development Services Act to provide a comprehensive, coordinated, and cost-effective system of child care and development services for children from infancy to 13 years of age and their parents, including a full range of supervision, health, and support services through full- and part-time programs. (Welfare and Institutions Code [WIC] 10207 et seq.)
4. Defines “early childhood mental health consultation service” as a service benefitting an infant or toddler who is 0 to 36 months of age, inclusive, and is served in a General Child Care and Development program, or a child who is 0 to 5 years of age, inclusive, and is served in a Family Child Care Home Education Network setting funded by a General Child Care and Development Program. (WIC 10281)
5. Provides that early childhood mental health consultation service includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
   1. Support for providers, parents, legal guardians, and caregivers to create proactive trauma-informed, inclusive environments and to respond effectively to all children.
   2. Assistance through individual site consultations, provision of resources, formulation of training plans, referrals, and other methods that address the unique needs of programs and providers.
   3. Aid to providers, parents, legal guardians, and caregivers, and encouragement and facilitation of collaboration and communication, as specified.
   4. The development of strategies for addressing prevalent child mental health concerns, as specified.
   5. Support with the pursuit and documentation of reasonable steps to maintain a child’s safe participation in the program if a child exhibits persistent and serious behaviors.
   6. Face-to-face interactions or video-based platforms and other modes of communication, as specified.
   7. Group or individual consultations. (EDC 8243; WIC 10281)
6. Provides that the cost to an agency of providing an early childhood mental health consultation service shall be reimbursable if all of the following apply:
   1. The early childhood mental health consultation service is provided on a schedule of sufficient and consistent frequency, continuously throughout the program year, as specified.
   2. The early childhood mental health consultation service is provided by a licensed or credentialed professional, as specified; a license-eligible professional who is supervised by a fully licensed or credentialed professional, as specified; a person holding a master’s degree in a field related to mental health or human services, as specified.
      1. Allows a fully licensed or credentialed professional to be an employee of a contracting agency or engaged as an external contractor, as specified.
      2. Requires any person providing mental health consultation services to have a successful criminal background check.
   3. The early childhood mental health consultation service uses a relationship-based model emphasizing strengthening relationships among early childhood education providers, parents, children, and representatives of community systems and resources, and integrates reflective practice into the onsite consultation model. Requires the model to include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
      1. At least twice per program year, conducting early care and education setting-based mental health assessments, such as the “Climate of Health Interactions for Learning & Development”.
      2. Recordkeeping that adequately documents all consultation activities.
      3. With consent from parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for ACEs and screening for buffering factors, including, but not limited to, resilience.
   4. Within the first 30 days upon hire or start of a consultation service, requires a provider agency to ensure that a consultant is trained in professional ethics and statutory, regulatory, and decisional laws, as specified; child abuse and neglect mandated reporting laws; best practices and foundations of early childhood mental health consultation; and all relevant laws and regulations regarding state and federal child care programs.
   5. Requires consultants and supervisors to participate in continuing professional development and education for at least 18 hours per program year. (EDC 8243; WIC 10281)
7. Requires the California Department of Education and CDSS, in consultation, to issue guidance through management bulletins, all-county letters, or similar instructions until regulations are adopted. (EDC 8243; WIC 10281)

This Bill:

1. Strikes the requirement for an early childhood mental health consultation service model include the conducting of an early care and education setting-based mental health assessment at least twice per program year.
2. Requires an early childhood mental health consultation service model to include use of an early care and education classroom observation tool at least once per program year to inform the specific activities and support the consultant shall provide.
3. Changes the requirement to conduct at least one screening of each enrolled child for ACEs to be optional.

FISCAL IMPACT

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, “Negligible state costs.”

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

Purpose of the Bill:

According to the author, “AB 2429 modernizes California’s Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) model by updating program requirements to allow more flexible, relationship-based consultation that better supports children’s social-emotional development. While ECMHC is a proven strategy for helping early educators address behavioral challenges and reduce suspensions and expulsions in early learning settings, feedback from providers and consultants indicates that some existing requirements create unnecessary administrative burdens that limit flexibility and discourage participation.

“AB 2429 streamlines how ECMHC is implemented in California State Preschool Programs, General Child Care programs, and Family Child Care Home Education Networks by removing requirements that do not directly support consultation services. Specifically, the bill eliminates the requirement to administer the ACEs Screener for every child in a classroom receiving consultation services and instead makes it optional and reduces required classroom observations from twice per year to once per year in consultation with the classroom team.

“These updates will allow consultants and educators to focus on building relationships and developing consultation plans tailored to the needs of each classroom. As a former classroom teacher, I know how important it is to provide educators with the tools and support they need to create positive learning environments where every child can thrive. AB 2429 ensures that more children, families, and educators across California can benefit from this proven model.”

Subsidized Child Care

California’s subsidized child care system is designed to provide assistance for income eligible parents and guardians who are working, in training, seeking employment, incapacitated, or in need of respite. The state’s largest subsidized child care programs are General Child Care, Alternative Payment Programs, CalWORKs Child Care, and the California State Preschool Program (State Preschool). This bill would apply to General Child Care and State Preschool.

General Child Care provides care through contracted child care centers and Family Child Care Home Education Networks. Families are income eligible for General Child Care if their household income is below 85% of the State Median Income, depending on family size. In 2025–26, a family of four is income eligible if their annual family income is at or below $108,237.^[1]

State Preschool provides care for three- and four-year-olds at local educational agencies and some community-based centers. Current law additionally allows State Preschool programs to serve two-year-olds through June 30, 2027. Families are eligible for the California State Preschool Program if their income based on family size falls below 100% of the State Median Income. In 2025–26, a family of four is income eligible if their annual family income is at or below $127,338.^[2] State Preschool programs are under the purview of the Senate Education Committee.

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation

Early childhood mental health consultation is an evidence-informed service model that promotes social-emotional development to effectively address challenging behaviors in young children and reduce the need for preschool expulsions.^[3] These services are a multilevel intervention in which mental health professionals work alongside child care and preschool providers who care for children from birth to age six to, “promote healthy social-wellness and provide support to the families and child care providers of the child.”^[4] This support may include developing strategies for classroom management, providing referrals, and cultivating a deeper understanding of the factors that shape young children’s social-emotional development.

According to Georgetown University’s Center for Child and Human Development, the outcomes of the early childhood mental health consultation services include reduced rates of suspensions and expulsions, reduced challenging behaviors, improved parent-child relationships, fewer missed days of work for parents, and an improved classroom climate. Early childhood mental health consultation is being implemented in a range of settings, including child care and preschool, home visiting, primary care, and child welfare in states, localities, and Tribal communities across the country.

This bill would revise the reimbursement requirements for early childhood mental health consultation services to require the use of an early care and education classroom observation tool at least once per school or program year, rather than requiring early care and education mental health assessments to be conducted twice per program year. According to the bill sponsor, frequent observations are not always conducive to building a positive relationship between the early childhood mental health consultant and child care teacher, as they may contribute to teachers feeling judged or over-observed.

Adverse Childhood Experiences Screenings

Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs, are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood. Some examples include experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect; witnessing violence in the home or community; having a family member attempt or die by suicide; growing up in a household with substance use problems or mental health problems; instability due to parental separation or a household member being in jail or prison; not having enough food to eat; experiencing homelessness; or unstable housing.^[5] ACEs are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance use problems in adulthood. ACEs can also negatively impact education, job opportunities, and earning potential.

An ACEs screening evaluates children and adults for trauma that occurred during the first 18 years of life. Children ages 0 through 11 are assessed using the Pediatric ACEs and Related Life-events Screener child tool, which is completed by a parent or caregiver. As of January 2020, the Department of Health Care Services reimburses Medi-Cal providers on a per-screening basis for children and adults with Medi-Cal coverage. Pursuant to SB 428 (Hurtado, Chapter 641, Statutes of 2021), commercial health plans and health insurers that provide coverage for pediatric services and preventative care are also required to include coverage for ACEs screenings.

This bill would make the ACEs screening optional rather than required for reimbursement for early childhood mental health consultation services. According to the bill sponsor, conducting the ACEs screener requires a significant amount of parent interview time and poses the potential for parent discomfort, as the screener covers sensitive information that parents may not feel comfortable disclosing. Additionally, the screener is frequently conducted at well-child visits with pediatricians.

Related/Prior Legislation:

AB 2806 (Blanca Rubio, Chapter 915, Statutes of 2022) revised and recast provisions related to expulsion and suspension of a child from the State Preschool program and broadens the provisions to include General Child Care and Development programs and Family Child Care Home Education Network programs.

SB 428 (Hurtado, Chapter 641, Statutes of 2021) required a health plan contract and health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2022, that provides coverage for pediatric services and preventative care to include coverage ACEs screenings.

AB 74 (Ting, Chapter 23, Statutes of 2019) appropriated Proposition 56 funding for ACEs screenings in Medi-Cal.

AB 752 (Rubio, Chapter 708, Statutes of 2017) prohibited a State Preschool program contracting agency from expelling or un-enrolling a child due to behavior unless certain steps are taken, as specified.

COMMENTS

Since 2015, child care and preschool programs nationwide have implemented policies to reduce and eliminate preschool expulsion due to substantial evidence that these practices lead to lifelong negative consequences for children—particularly for Black/African American children. This bill seeks to lower barriers to entry to encourage more child care and preschool programs to offer early childhood mental health consultation services in their classrooms. By reducing assessment requirements, this bill seeks to allow early childhood mental health consultants to use their time visiting classrooms however they see fit to support teachers and children. According to the bill sponsor, the changes proposed in this bill reflect feedback from early childhood mental health consultants and early childhood teachers.

Double Referral: This bill has been double referred to the Senate Education Committee.

PRIOR VOTES

POSITIONS

Support:

Kidango (Sponsor)

Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles
Clovis Unified Preschool
Early Edge California
Fresno County Office of Education
Lindsay Unified School District Preschool/TK Program
Options for Learning
The Children's Partnership

Oppose:

None received

-- END --

1. https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/Additional-Resources/Letters-and-Notices/CCBs/2025/CCB_25-17.pdf?ver=u4mUIjWBWHLzf2SrlJQ8iA%3d%3d ↑

2. https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/ci/mb2505.asp ↑

3. https://www.ecmhc.org/documents/FCC_Manual_2020_Proof2.pdf ↑

4. Id. ↑

5. https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html ↑

Date of Hearing: May 13, 2026

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Buffy Wicks, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2429

Author:(Blanca Rubio) – As Amended Ver:March 26, 2026

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill requires the early childhood mental health consultation (ECMHC) service used in a childcare setting to use a classroom observation tool once per year, rather than twice per year, to inform the specific activities and support the consultant will provide.

Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires the ECMHC service used in a childcare setting, including but not limited to the California State Preschool Program (CSPP), to, at least once (rather than twice) per school or program year, in consultation with the classroom team or childcare provider, use an early care and education classroom observation tool to inform the specific activities and support the consultant will provide.
2. Removes references to the specific instrument, “Climate of Healthy Interactions for Learning and Development (CHILD)” to be used for classroom observations.

FISCAL EFFECT:

Negligible state costs.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. According to the author:

[This bill] modernizes California’s ECMHC model by updating program requirements to allow more flexible, relationship-based consultation that better supports children’s social-emotional development. While ECMHC is a proven strategy for helping early educators address behavioral challenges and reduce suspensions and expulsions in early learning settings, feedback from providers and consultants indicates that some existing requirements create unnecessary administrative burdens that limit flexibility and discourage participation.

1. Background. ECMHC is a preventive, capacity-building intervention in which mental health professionals partner with early childhood educators to strengthen classroom environments and relationships, rather than providing direct clinical services to children. Consultants work collaboratively with teachers, staff, and families to improve practices within the classroom. Through observation of classroom dynamics and child behavior, consultants help identify underlying causes of challenging behaviors and provide tailored coaching, strategies, and resources. This includes supporting developmentally appropriate practices, strengthening provider-child interactions, and creating more supportive and inclusive environments.

In California, ECMHC supports children from birth to six years of age and their families within publicly funded early learning settings. AB 2698 (Rubio), Chapter 946, Statutes of 2018, established these services, making them available to CSPP, general childcare, and Family Child Care Home Education Networks. Services may be provided by licensed mental health professionals, including marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, professional clinal counselors, psychologists, and child and adolescent psychiatrists, as well as supervised or qualified individuals as determined by California Department of Education or the California Department of Social Services.

AB 2806 (Rubio), Chapter 915, Statutes of 2022, further defined the model by establishing requirements related to observation, screening, and implementation of a relationship-based, reflective consultation approach. This bill modifies these requirements by reducing the required frequency of classroom observations to at least once per year and allowing the use of a broader early care and education observation tool to inform consultation.

Analysis Prepared by: Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 15, 2026

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Darshana R. Patel, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2429 (

Author:Blanca Rubio) – As Amended Ver:March 26, 2026

[This bill was double referred to the Committee on Human Services and was heard by that Committee on issues in its jurisdiction.]

SUBJECT: Childcare: mental health consultation services

SUMMARY: Requires the early childhood mental health consultation service used in a childcare setting to employ an early care and education classroom observation tool once per year to inform the specific activities and support the consultant will provide. Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires the early childhood mental health consultation (ECMHC) service used in a childcare setting, including but not limited to the California State Preschool Program (CSPP), to use an early care and education classroom observation tool once per year, rather than twice per year, in consultation with the classroom team to inform the specific activities and support the consultant will provide.
2. Removes references to the specific instrument, “Climate of Healthy Interactions for Learning and Development (CHILD) to be used for classroom observations.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes the Early Education Act to provide high quality, inclusive, and culturally responsive preschool to eligible children. (Education Code (EC) 8200)
2. Defines the following terms:
   1. “California state preschool program” means those programs that offer part-day or full-day, or both, educational programs for eligible two-, three-, and four-year-old children. These programs may be offered by a public, private, or proprietary agency, and operated in childcare centers or family childcare homes operating through a family childcare home education network; (EC 8205) and
   2. “Early childhood mental health consultation services (ECMCH)” means a service benefiting a child who is served in a CSPP. (EC 8243)
3. Specifies that “early childhood mental health consultation services” include, but are not limited to:
   1. Support for providers, parents, legal guardians, and caregivers to create trauma-informed, proactive inclusive environments and to respond effectively to all children;
   2. Assistance through individual site consultations, provision of resources, formulation of training plans, referrals, and other methods that address the unique needs of programs and providers;
   3. Aid to providers, parents, legal guardians, and caregivers, and encouragement and facilitation of collaboration and communication, in developing the skills and tools needed to be successful as they support the development and early learning of all children, including observing environments, facilitating the development of action plans, and supporting site implementation of those plans;
   4. The development of strategies for addressing prevalent child mental health concerns, including internalizing problems, such as appearing withdrawn, and externalizing problems, such as exhibiting persistent and serious behaviors;
   5. If a child exhibits persistent and serious behaviors, support with the pursuit and documentation of reasonable steps to maintain the child’s safe participation in the program;
   6. Face-to-face interactions or video-based platforms and other modes of communication that are compliant with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (Public Law 104-191), such as the telephone; and
   7. Group or individual consultations of any of the actions described in this paragraph. (EC 8243)
4. Provides that the ECMHC service is supervised and provided by a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed psychologist, a licensed child and adolescent psychiatrist, or others, as specified. (EC 8243)
5. Specifies that ECMHC services use a relationship-based model emphasizing strengthening relationships among early childhood education providers, parents, children, and representatives of community systems and resources, and integrate reflective practice into the onsite consultation model. (EC 8243)
6. Requires the relationship-based model used for ECMHC services described above, to include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
   1. At least twice per program year, conducting early care and education setting-based mental health assessments, such as the Climate of Healthy Interactions for Learning & Development or other appropriate instrument;
   2. Recordkeeping that adequately documents all consultation activities; and
   3. With consent from parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and screening for buffering factors, including, but not limited to, resilience. (EC 8243)
7. Prohibits the expulsion of a child with an individualized education program (IEP) or individualized family service plan (IFSP) if the challenging behavior has a direct and substantial relationship to the child’s disability or is the result of a failure to implement the IEP or IFSP. Requires that a child’s IEP/IFSP team be reconvened to consider special education supports and services if a child is suspended for more than 10 days. (Section 300.530 (e) Title 34 Code of Federal Regulations).
8. Establishes the adjustment factor for specified programs where ECMH services are provided at 1.1 of the applicable reimbursement rate. (EC 8244)

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS:

Need for the bill. According to the author, “AB 2429 modernizes California’s Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) model by updating program requirements to allow more flexible, relationship-based consultation that better supports children’s social-emotional development. While ECMHC is a proven strategy for helping early educators address behavioral challenges and reduce suspensions and expulsions in early learning settings, feedback from providers and consultants indicates that some existing requirements create unnecessary administrative burdens that limit flexibility and discourage participation.

AB 2429 streamlines how ECMHC is implemented in California State Preschool Programs, General Child Care programs, and Family Child Care Home Education Networks by removing requirements that do not directly support consultation services. Specifically, the bill reduces required classroom observations from twice per year to once per year in consultation with the classroom team. These updates will allow consultants and educators to focus on building relationships and developing consultation plans tailored to the needs of each classroom. As a former classroom teacher, I know how important it is to provide educators with the tools and support they need to create positive learning environments where every child can thrive. AB 2429 ensures that more children, families, and educators across California can benefit from this proven model.”

This bill reduces the requirement that ECMHC services employ a classroom observation tool from twice per year to once per year and removes reference to a specific tool, “Climate of Healthy Interactions for Learning and Development”. The bill requires the ECMHC consultant, in consultation with the classroom team, to identify and employ an early care and education classroom observation tool to inform the specific activities and support the ECMHC consultant will provide.

According to the author, feedback from the field suggests that certain barriers may be limiting the use of ECMHC services. Current law requires ECMHC consultants to conduct two observations of a classroom receiving ECMHC per year. Consultants have reported that observations are not always conducive to building a positive relationship with teachers, who may feel judged or over-observed. This can be particularly challenging when teachers are already experiencing other assessments via state requirements, such as the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) or other tools their program may be utilizing. Where possible, it is important to give consultants more flexibility to tailor their approach, including the number of observations, to the specific classroom, program, and children they are serving.

Research supports the importance of collaborative relationships in high quality ECMHC. Consultants do not provide fixes to challenges, rather they co-develop the goals and strategies for consultation with the early childhood care and education providers. Through showing respect and non-judgement, consultants create an emotionally safe space for providers to do the work of reflecting on the challenges. Experts think that this type of relationship is what makes ECMHC work and what differentiates it from other ways of supporting providers. (Schoch, 2025)

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC). Early childhood is a critical period for social-emotional development, shaping children’s ability to regulate emotions, build relationships, and engage in learning. Children experiencing trauma, chronic stress, or unmet developmental needs may struggle in early care and education settings, sometimes leading to behavioral challenges and increased use of exclusionary discipline, including suspension and expulsions. ECMHC is a relationship-based approach designed to support both children and adults who care for them in these settings.

ECMHC is a preventive, capacity-building intervention in which mental health professionals partner with early childhood educators to strengthen classroom environments and relationships, rather than providing direct clinical services to children. Consultants work collaboratively with teachers, staff, and families to improve practices within the classroom. Through observation of classroom dynamics and child behavior, consultants help identify underlying causes of challenging behaviors and provide tailored coaching, strategies, and resources. This includes supporting developmentally appropriate practices, strengthening provider-child interactions, and creating more supportive and inclusive environments.

By focusing on prevention and capacity-building, ECMHC helps address concerns early before they escalate into more serious issues. It also supports providers in responding to children’s needs in a consistent and informed manner, improving classroom climate and child outcomes. Research indicates that ECMHC is associated with reductions in children’s externalizing behaviors, improvements in prosocial skills, increased provider confidence and competence, and stronger provider-child interactions. More recent studies find that consultation can lead to measurable improvements in children’s social-emotional functioning, including increased initiative and self-regulation, as well as reductions in behavioral concerns, provider stress, and exclusionary practices.

In California, ECMHC supports children from birth to six years of age and their families within publicly funded early learning settings. AB 2698 (Rubio), Chapter 946, Statutes of 2018, established these services, making them available to CSPP, general childcare, and Family Child Care Home Education Networks. Services may be provided by licensed mental health professionals, including marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, professional clinical counselors, psychologists, and child and adolescent psychiatrists, as well as supervised or qualified individuals as determined by the California Department of Education or the California Department of Social Services.

AB 2806 (Rubio), Chapter 915, Statutes of 2022, further defined the model by establishing requirements related to observation, screening, and implementation of a relationship-based, reflective consultation approach. This bill modifies those requirements by reducing the required frequency of classroom observations to at least once per year and allowing the use of a broader early care and education observation tool to inform consultation.

Significant mental health problems in young children. Children can exhibit characteristics of anxiety disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and neurodevelopmental disabilities at an early age. Research suggests that approximately 9 to 14% of children from birth to 5-years-old experience emotional or behavioral disorders.

Factors such as persistent poverty, recurrent abuse or chronic neglect, exposure to domestic violence, parental mental health issues or substance abuse, as well as poor childcare conditions, increase the risk of serious mental health problems among young children.

Left untreated, early mental health disorders can impact every aspect of a child’s development, including physical, cognitive, communication, sensory, emotional, social, and motor skills. These negative impacts can affect a child’s ability to succeed in school and in life and increase the risk of poor educational outcomes, ill health, and juvenile delinquency later in life. (Harvard University, 2013).

Early intervention is critical in addressing early mental health concerns. Research finds that early prevention and treatment of mental health disorders is considered more beneficial and cost-effective than attempting to treat emotional difficulties and their effects on learning and health after they become more serious. During the infant and toddler years, there are opportunities to treat mental health problems before they manifest into more severe problems later in life. It is critical to treat young children’s mental health issues within the context of their families, homes, and communities. The emotional well-being of young children is directly connected to the functioning of their families and caregivers.

In October of 2021, The Children’s Partnership and the First 5 Center for Children’s Policy

issued a report, Addressing infant and early childhood mental health needs: opportunities

for community solutions. The report noted:

In community-based programs, care and support are delivered in spaces children and their families frequent and allow families to play an active role in their delivery. Community-based services are distinct from clinical mental health services, such as the new dyadic care Medi-Cal benefit, which, in addition to community-based services, are an essential part of the mental health system for young children. Services at the community level might look like facilitated playgroups, parenting support classes or mental health consultation for early care and education providers, among others. These programs are uniquely positioned to help families overcome barriers to mental health care access, and they can connect families and educators with more intensive health, mental health, or early intervention services as needed. Community-based programs are also most likely to reach families from historically marginalized communities, including immigrant and low-income families of color.

Among the recommendations of this report was the need to expand early childhood education providers’ access to Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health consultation, an evidence-based model, through state contracts with early childhood education providers and additional technical assistance.

Arguments in support. Kidango writes, “ECMHC continues to grow as a model that can build the capacity of teachers to respond effectively to all children and create trauma-informed and inclusive environments. Since the passage of AB 2806 in 2022, also authored by Assemblymember Rubio, more ECE providers have been able to implement ECMHC with a roadmap on best practices and program requirements to follow. Now, we have the opportunity to make key adjustments to the model, which will make it easier for providers to implement and allow consultants to further customize their approach based on needs of the children, families, and teachers.

Based on feedback from providers and ECMHC consultants, it is necessary to revisit and update ECMHC programmatic requirements to strengthen the focus of the model on strong relationships between consultants and teachers and where appropriate, reduce assessment burdens on providers so they are more incentivized to implement ECMHC. In doing so, we can make this model more readily available to more programs across the state.

This allows ECMHC delivery to be more effective, particularly by building strong relationships between the ECMHC consultants and the key adults in a child’s life.”

Related legislation. AB 2806 (Blanca Rubio) Chapter 915, Statutes of 2022, revises and recasts provisions related to expulsion and suspension of a child from the CSPP and broadens the provisions to include general childcare and development programs and family childcare home education network programs.

AB 1361 (Blanca Rubio) of the 2021-22 Session would have required early learning and care programs to use suspension or expulsion only as a last resort in responding to a child’s behavior, required specific actions to be taken prior to dis-enrolling or suspending a child due to a behavior issue and provided additional funding and requirements for early childhood mental health consultations. This bill was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

AB 2698 (Rubio) Chapter 946, Statutes of 2018, defines early childhood mental health consultation service, declares Legislative intent encouraging the provision of such services in CSPPs, general child care and development programs, and family child care home education networks funded by a general child care and development program, and requires, under certain circumstances, the application of a reimbursement rate adjustment factor for children served in programs where these services are provided.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Bananas

Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles

Everychild California

Girls Club of Los Angeles

Kidango

Lindsay Unified School District Preschool/TK Program

Maryvale

National Association of Social Workers-California Chapter

Porterville Unified School District

The Children's Partnership

3 individuals

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Debbie Look / ED. / (916) 319-2087

Date of Hearing: March 24, 2026

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

Alex Lee, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2429 (

Author:Blanca Rubio) – As Introduced Ver:February 20, 2026

SUBJECT: Childcare: mental health consultation services

SUMMARY: Revises the relationship-based model for early childhood mental health consultation services by requiring consultants to use an early care and education classroom observation tool at least once each year in each classroom, in consultation with the classroom team, to inform the provided activities and supports. Removes the requirement to administer at least one adverse childhood experiences (ACE) screening with parental consent.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes the Child Care and Development Services Act to provide childcare and development services as part of a coordinated, comprehensive, and cost-effective system serving children from birth to 13 years of age and their parents, including a full range of supervision, health, and support services through full- and part-time programs. (Welfare and Institutions Code [WIC] § 10207 et seq.)
2. Establishes the Early Education Act to provide high quality, inclusive, and culturally responsive preschool to eligible children. (Education Code [EDC] § 8200 et seq.)
3. Defines the following terms:
   1. “Childcare and development services” to mean services designed to meet a wide variety of children’s and families’ needs while parents and guardians are working, in training, seeking employment, incapacitated, or in need of respite. (WIC § 10213.5(j))
   2. “Early childhood mental health consultation services” as a service benefiting an infant or toddler who is 0 to 36 months of age, inclusive, and is served in a general childcare and development program, or a child who is 0 to 5 years of age, inclusive, and is served in a family childcare home education network setting funded by a general childcare and development program; and as a service benefiting a child who is served in a California state preschool program. (WIC § 10281(a); EDC § 8243(a))
4. Specifies that “early childhood mental health consultation services includes, but is not limited to:
   1. Support for providers, parents, legal guardians, and caregivers to create trauma-informed, proactive inclusive environments and to respond effectively to all children;
   2. Assistance through individual site consultations, provision of resources, formulation of training plans, referrals, and other methods that address the unique needs of programs and providers;
   3. Aid to providers, parents, legal guardians, and caregivers, and encouragement and facilitation of collaboration and communication, in developing the skills and tools needed to be successful as they support the development and early learning of all children;
   4. The development of strategies for addressing prevalent child mental health concerns;
   5. If a child exhibits persistent and serious behaviors, support with the pursuit and documentation of reasonable steps to maintain the child’s safe participation in the program;
   6. Face-to-face interactions or video-based platforms and other modes of communication that are compliant with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (Public Law 104-191), such as the telephone; and,
   7. Group or individual consultations of any of the actions described in this paragraph. (WIC § 10281(a); EDC § 8243(a))
5. Provides that the early childhood mental health consultation service is supervised and provided by a licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed professional clinical counselor, a licensed psychologist, a licensed child and adolescent psychiatrist, or others, as specified. (WIC § 10281(b)(2); EDC § 8243(b)(2))
6. Specifies that early childhood mental health consultation services use a relationship-based model emphasizing strengthening relationships among early childhood education providers, parents, children, and representatives of community systems and resources, and integrates reflective practice into the onsite consultation model. (WIC § 10281(b)(3); EDC § 8243(b)(3))
7. Requires the relationship-based model used for early childhood mental health consultation services described in 2) above, to include, but not be limited to all of the following:
   1. At least twice per program year, conducting early care and education setting-based mental health assessments, such as the Climate of Healthy Interactions for Learning & Development or other appropriate instrument;
   2. Recordkeeping that adequately documents all consultation activities; and,
   3. With consent from parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for ACE and screening for buffering factors, including, but not limited to resilience. (WIC § 10281(b)(3); EDC § 8243(b)(3)

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown, this bill has not been analyzed by a fiscal committee.

COMMENTS: This analysis only discusses policy issues germane to the jurisdiction of the Assembly Committee on Human Services.

Background: Subsidized Childcare. California’s subsidized childcare system provides assistance to parents and guardians who are working, in training, seeking employment, incapacitated, or in need of respite. The system serves children from birth through 13 years of age and is funded through a combination of federal and state dollars. Services are delivered through a mixed delivery system that includes licensed childcare centers, licensed family childcare homes, and license-exempt providers such as family, friends, or neighbors.

Several programs make up the state’s subsidized childcare system. Families participating in California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program may receive childcare through a three-stage system during and after participation. The General Child Care and Development Program (CCTR) provides subsidized care through contracted centers and family childcare home education networks. Alternative Payment Programs provide vouchers that allow families to choose care across settings. California also offers the California State Preschool Program (CSPP) for eligible three-and four-year old children, providing part-day or full-day services that include curriculum, meals, parent education, and referrals to social and health services.

Families must meet both eligibility and need requirements to access non-CALWORKs subsidized childcare. Eligibility includes income below 85% of the state median income, participation in certain public assistance programs, homelessness, or involvement with child protective services. Families must also demonstrate a qualifying need, such as employment, job search, education or training, incapacity, or seeking housing stability. As of January 2025, the income threshold is $7,472 per month ($89,664 annually) for a family of three. Once deemed eligible, families are authorized for services for at least 24 months without recertification, unless income exceeds the threshold.

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC). Early childhood is a critical period for social-emotional development, shaping children’s ability to regulate emotions, build relationships, and engage in learning. Children experiencing trauma, chronic stress, or unmet developmental needs may struggle in early care and education settings, sometimes leading to behavioral challenges and increased use of exclusionary discipline, including suspension and expulsions. ECMHC is a relationship-based approach designed to support both children and adults who care for them in these settings.

ECMHC is a preventive, capacity-building intervention in which mental health professionals partner with early childhood educators to strengthen classroom environments and relationships, rather than providing direct clinical services to children. Consultants work collaboratively with teachers, staff, and families to improve practices within the classroom. Through observation of classroom dynamics and child behavior, consultants help identify underlying causes of challenging behaviors and provide tailored coaching, strategies, and resources. This includes supporting developmentally appropriate practices, strengthening provider-child interactions, and creating more supportive and inclusive environments.

By focusing on prevention and capacity-building, ECMHC helps address concerns early before they escalate into more serious issues. It also supports providers in responding to children’s needs in a consistent and informed manner, improving classroom climate and child outcomes. Research indicates that ECMHC is associated with reductions in children’s externalizing behaviors, improvements in prosocial skills, increased provider confidence and competence, and stronger provider-child interactions.^[1] More recent studies find that consultation can lead to measurable improvements in children’s social-emotional functioning, including increased initiative and self-regulation, as well as reductions in behavioral concerns, provider stress, and exclusionary practices.^[2]

In California, ECMHC support children from birth to six years of age and their families within publicly funded early learning settings. AB 2698 (Rubio), Chapter 946, Statutes of 2018, established these services, making them available to CSPP, CCTR, and Family Child Care Home Education Networks. Services may be provided by licensed mental health professionals, including marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, professional clinal counselors, psychologists, and child and adolescent psychiatrists, as well as supervised or qualified individuals as determined by the California Department of Education or the California Department of Social Services.

AB 2806 (Rubio), Chapter 915, Statutes of 2022, further defined the model by establishing requirements related to observation, screening, and implementation of a relationship-based, reflective consultation approach. This bill modifies those requirements by reducing the required frequency of classroom observations to at least once per year and allowing the use of a broader early care and education observation tool to inform consultation.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Trauma-Informed Care. ACE, such as exposure to abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction, are associated with a range of negative outcomes in social-emotional development, behavior, and long-term health. In response, state and national efforts have focused on identifying and addressing trauma early by integrating screening and supportive practices into settings that serve young children and families.

In early care and education settings, this has included incorporating ACE screening into ECMHC to help identify children who may have experienced trauma and connect families to services. Screening may also inform consultation by providing context for children’s behavior and developments. However, trauma-informed care extends beyond screening and emphasizes creating safe, stable, and supportive environments for children and families. ECMHC supports this approach by equipping providers with strategies to address children’s needs in an early learning and care setting.

In practice, ACE screening has presented implementation challenges. Screening often requires trained professionals, involves sensitive information, and may be difficult to administer consistently across diverse settings. Research indicates that ECMHC is most effective when delivered flexibly and tailored to program needs, rather than relying on standardized screening requirements. As a result, ACE screening may be resource-intensive and may not align with the relationship-based nature of consultation.

Under current law, ECMHC must include a relationship-based model with specified requirements, including conducting at least two classroom observations per year and with parental consent, administering at least one ACE screening for each child. This bill instead requires the use of a classroom observation tool at least once per year and removes the ACE screening requirement, with the goal of increasing flexibility.

Author’s Statement: According to the Author, “[This bill] modernizes California’s Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) model by updating program requirements to allow more flexible, relationship-based consultation that better supports children’s social-emotional development. While ECMHC is a proven strategy for helping early educators address behavioral challenges and reduce suspensions and expulsions in early learning settings, feedback from providers and consultants indicates that some existing requirements create unnecessary administrative burdens that limit flexibility and discourage participation.

“[This bill] streamlines how ECMHC is implemented in California State Preschool Programs, General Child Care programs, and Family Child Care Home Education Networks by removing requirements that do not directly support consultation services. Specifically, the bill eliminates the requirement to administer the ACEs Screener for every child in a classroom receiving consultation services and reduces required classroom observations from twice per year to once per year in consultation with the classroom team. These updates will allow consultants and educators to focus on building relationships and developing consultation plans tailored to the needs of each classroom. As a former classroom teacher, I know how important it is to provide educators with the tools and support they need to create positive learning environments where every child can thrive. [This bill] ensures that more children, families, and educators across California can benefit from this proven model.”

Equity Implications: Programs serving low-income families, particularly those in under-resourced communities, often face workforce shortages and limited access to licensed clinicians needed to administer ACE screenings. By removing the ACE screening requirement and allowing greater flexibility in how consultation is delivered, this bill may enable more providers, especially those in high-need areas, to participate in ECMHC.

Relationship-based consultation models emphasize understanding children within the context of their environment, relationships and experiences, which may reduce the risk of misinterpretation of over-identification of behavioral concerns among children of color. Research shows that Black children are disproportionately subject to suspension and expulsion in early learning settings, often at rates several times higher than their peers. Latino/Hispanic children are also overrepresented in exclusionary discipline relative to enrollment face higher suspension rates than white children. When children are excluded from early learning settings, they miss out on the opportunity to develop key social, emotional, and academic skills. Expanding access to consultation that supports providers in managing behavior and building supportive environments may help reduce these disparities.

Policy Considerations: While removing the ACE screening requirement may reduce implementation barriers and increase participation in ECMHC, it may also limit opportunities to identify children and families experiencing trauma and connect them to services. Making ACE screening optional, rather than eliminating it entirely, could preserve access to this tool for programs with the capacity to administer it while maintaining flexibility for those that do not.

Should this bill move forward, the Author may wish to consider making ACE screening optional rather than eliminating it entirely.

This bill uses terms such as “classroom team,” “classroom” and “school year” in the Welfare and Institutions Code, which does not align with terminology used in the subsidized childcare system. Updating these terms to “childcare provider” “and “program year” would better reflect the mixed-delivery system and ensure consistent application across provider types.

Should this bill move forward, the Author may wish to consider revising these references in the Welfare and Institutions Code to align with childcare-specified terminology rather than Education Code language.

Proposed Committee Amendments: In order to address the above policy considerations, the Committee proposes the author take the following amendments:

On page 4, in line 17, after “(3)” insert: (A)

On page 4, in line 27, strike out “(A)” and insert: (i)

On page 4, in line 31, strike out “(B)” and insert: (ii)

On page 4, between lines 32 and 33, insert: (B) The model described in subparagraph (A) may include, with consent from parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for adverse childhood experiences and screening for buffering factors, including, but not limited to, resilience.

On page 8, in line 4, after “(3)” insert: (A)

On page 8, in line 14, strike out “(A)” and insert: (i)

On page 8, in line 14, strike out “school year in each classroom,” and insert: program year,

On page 8, in line 15, strike out “classroom team,” and insert: childcare provider.

On page 8, in line 18, strike out “(B)” and insert: (ii)

On page 8, between lines 19 and 20, insert: (B) The model described in subparagraph (A) may include, with consent from parents or legal guardians, at least one screening of each enrolled child for adverse childhood experience and screening for buffering factors, including, but not limited to, resilience.

On page 9, in line 13, strike out “letter” and insert: letters

Double referral: Should this bill pass out of this committee, it will be referred to the Assembly Committee on Education.

Arguments in Support: According to BANANAS, Inc., “Based on feedback from providers and ECMHC consultants, it is necessary to revisit and update ECMHC programmatic requirements to strengthen the focus of the model on strong relationships between consultants and teachers and where appropriate, reduce assessment burdens on providers so they are more incentivized to implement ECMHC. In doing so, we can make this model more readily available to more programs across the state. AB 2429 creates more flexibility for consultants and classrooms to co-develop a plan tailor-made for the needs of an individual classroom.”

Arguments in Opposition: None on file.

RELATED AND PRIOR LEGISLATION:

AB 2806 (B. Rubio), Chapter 915, Statutes of 2022, revised and recast provisions related to expulsion and suspension of a child from the state preschool program and broadended provisions to include general childcare and development programs and family childcare home education network programs.

AB 2698 (B. Rubio), Chapter 946, Statutes of 2018, defined early childhood mental health consultation service, declared legislative intent encouraging the provision of such services in CSPPs, general child care and development programs, and family child care home education networks funded by a general childcare and development program, and required, under certain circumstances, the application of a reimbursement rate adjustment factor for children served in programs where these services are provided.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Kidango (Sponsor)

Bananas

EveryChild California

Girls Club of Los Angeles

Maryvale

Thermalito UESD~TLC Preschool

One private citizen

Opposition

None on file.

Analysis Prepared by: Bri-Ann Hernández-Mengual / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089

1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10107797/pdf/IMHJ-44-5.pdf ↑

2. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/11/1497 ↑