Assembly committee advances bill requiring mental‑health training for school coaches

Assemblymember Pacheco told the Assembly Education Committee he was sponsoring AB 16 65 to require school sports coaches to complete an approved mental‑health training course so they can better recognize and respond when student athletes struggle. He accepted committee amendments before calling witnesses to speak in support.

Danielle Domenichelli, sport development director for the Sacramento Running Association and a former Division I and professional athlete, described how coaches’ interactions shaped her own mental‑health struggles. "Providing coaches who athletes inherently put their trust in with training to recognize warning signs, communicate responsibly, and support athletes in accessing help is essential," she said, urging the committee to approve the proposal.

Committee members voiced broad support. Assemblymember Pellerin said the training would be "critical" and offered to be a coauthor. There were no recorded opposition witnesses during the hearing; Leah Barrows (California Hospital Association) spoke in support on the public‑comment record.

Procedural outcome: the committee moved AB 16 65 to the Appropriations Committee as amended and recorded an initial committee vote in support. The chair left the roll open for add‑ons; committee roll calls reported a recorded vote of 6–0 during the hearing and later 7–0 after add‑ons were added on the consent calendar.

Why it matters: Supporters said growing rates of youth psychological distress and the widespread role of school athletics make coaches a logical point of contact for early recognition of problems. The bill would add mental‑health recognition to existing safety trainings coaches already complete for concussions and other physical risks.

Next steps: AB 16 65 was referred to Appropriations. The committee left the roll open for additional endorsements ("add‑ons"), and the file will proceed through the legislative process pending Appropriations review.