§403. Section on drug free schools and communities; program; section administrator; counselors

            A. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the state superintendent of education shall establish and maintain within the bureau of student services of the state Department of Education a separate program section which shall be designated as the section on drug free schools and communities. The board shall adopt such rules and regulations as are necessary to establish, operate, and maintain a state-wide alcohol, drug, and substance abuse education program for the benefit of students attending the schools of this state. The program may be extended to benefit adult citizens through adult education programs. The program shall be administered through the schools.

            B. There shall be a section administrator of the section on drug free schools and communities who shall be appointed by the superintendent. The section administrator shall administer and be responsible for the affairs of the section on drug free schools and communities and the state-wide alcohol, drug, and substance abuse education program.

            C.(1) There shall be addictive disorders professionals in every school system who regularly visit every secondary school and elementary school at a maximum of four schools to one counselor, for the purpose of counseling students who have been identified as having an alcohol, drug, or substance abuse problem. The duties of each counselor shall be coordinated by the section on drug-free schools and communities and each employing parish or city school system.

            (2) Qualifications for addictive disorders professionals shall be determined, implemented, and enforced by the Louisiana Department of Health, office of behavioral health.

            Acts 1989, No. 171, §1; Acts 2004, No. 803, §1, eff. July 8, 2004; Acts 2009, No. 384, §5, eff. July 1, 2010.