ND HB1386

Changes youth behavioral health professional development from mandatory to discretionary, allowing school districts to "may" rather than "shall" provide a minimum of 8 hours every two years to teachers, administrators, and ancillary staff.

Permits school districts to designate professional development hours based on annual needs assessments from nine content categories including trauma, suicide prevention, bullying, social-emotional learning, and evidence-based intervention strategies.

Requires each school within a district to designate an individual as a behavioral health resource coordinator, with the superintendent maintaining contact information for these coordinators.

Creates new authority for school boards to discretionally designate professional development content areas covering behavioral, physical, or mental health as recommended by school administrators.

Specifies that professional development training must qualify for continuing education credits toward teacher license renewal and maintain compliance with other required professional development training.