4343. (Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 858, Sec. 2.)

The Legislature recognizes that prevention and early intervention services have long been slighted in the community mental health programs and has identified, as a goal of the Bronzan-McCorquodale program, the prevention of serious mental disorders and psychological problems. It is the intent of the Legislature to establish throughout the state a school-based primary intervention program designed for the early detection and prevention of emotional, behavioral, and learning problems in primary grade children with services provided by child aides or unpaid volunteers under the supervision of mental health professionals. The Legislature recognizes the documented significant improvement of children who have participated in the program over time. The goal of the primary intervention program is to help young children derive maximum profit from the school experience and, in so doing, prevent later-life problems of school failure, unemployment, delinquency, criminal behavior, and substance abuse.