AB 2246, as introduced, O'Donnell. Pupil suicide prevention policies.
Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state, and provides for the establishment of school districts and other local educational agencies to operate these schools and provide instruction to pupils. Existing law establishes the State Department of Education in state government, and vests the department with specified powers and duties relating to the state’s public school system.
This bill would require a governing board or body of a local educational agency, as defined, that serves pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to, before the beginning of the 2017-18 school year, adopt a policy on pupil suicide prevention, as specified, that specifically addresses the needs of high-risk groups. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the department to develop and maintain a model policy to serve as a guide for local educational agencies.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:
3(a) According to the latest 2013 data from the federal Centers
4for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the second leading
5cause of death for youth and young adults aged 10 to 24.
6(b) As children and teens spend a significant amount of their
7young lives in school, the personnel that interact with them on a
8daily basis are in a prime position to recognize the warning signs
9of suicide and make the appropriate referrals for help.
10(c) In a national survey conducted by the Jason Foundation, the
11number one person who a pupil would turn to for helping a
friend
12who might be suicidal was a teacher. It is imperative that when a
13young person comes to a teacher for help, the teacher has the
14knowledge, tools, and resources to respond.
15(d) There are national hotlines available to help adults and
16lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) youth
17experiencing suicidal ideation, including the National Suicide
18Prevention Lifeline and the Trevor Project, respectively.
19(e) According to the Family Acceptance Project, research has
20found that, for an LGBTQ youth, having at least one supportive
21adult can reduce the youth’s risk of suicide.
22(f) A model policy on suicide prevention created in consultation
23with suicide prevention experts and other stakeholders is available
24through the Trevor Project for adoption or adaptation, or both, by
25the State Department of
Education and local educational agencies.
Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 215) is added
27to Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education
28Code, to read:
(a) A governing board or body of a local educational
4agency that serves pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, shall, before
5the beginning of the 2017-18 school year, adopt a policy on pupil
6suicide prevention. The policy shall be developed in consultation
7with school and community stakeholders, school-employed mental
8health professionals, and suicide prevention experts, and shall, at
9a minimum, address procedures relating to suicide prevention,
10intervention, and postvention.
11(1) The policy shall specifically address the needs of high-risk
12groups, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
13(A) Youth bereaved by suicide.
14(B) Youth with disabilities, mental illness, or substance use
15disorders.
16(C) Youth experiencing homelessness or in out-of-home settings.
17(D) Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning youth.
18(2) The policy shall also address any training to be provided to
19teachers of pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, on suicide awareness
20and prevention.
21(A) Materials approved by a local educational agency for
22training shall include how to identify appropriate mental health
23services, both within the schoolsite and also within the larger
24community, and when and how to refer youth and their families
25to those services.
26(B) Materials approved for training may also include programs
27that
can be completed through self-review of suitable suicide
28prevention materials.
29(3) To assist local educational agencies in developing policies
30for pupil suicide prevention, the department shall develop and
31maintain a model policy in accordance with this section to serve
32as a guide for local educational agencies.
33(b) For purposes of this section, “local educational agency”
34means a county office of education, school district, state special
35school, or charter school.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
37this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
38local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
P4 1pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
24 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
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