AB 2246, as amended, O'Donnell. Pupil suicide prevention policies.
Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in thisbegin delete state,end deletebegin insert stateend insert 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 statebegin delete government,end deletebegin insert governmentend insert and vests the department with specified powers and duties relating to the state’s public school system.
This bill would requirebegin delete aend deletebegin insert theend insert 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 adultsbegin delete agedend delete 10 tobegin delete 24.end deletebegin insert 24 years
6of age, inclusive.end insert
7(b) As children and teens spend a significant amount of their
8young lives
in school, the personnel that interact with them on a
9daily basis are in a prime position to recognize the warning signs
10of suicide and make the appropriate referrals for help.
11(c) In a national survey conducted by the Jason Foundation, the
12number one person who a pupil would turn to for helping a friend
13who might be suicidal was a teacher. It is imperative that when a
14young person comes to a teacher for help, the teacher has the
15knowledge, tools, and resources to respond.
16(d) There are national hotlines available to help adults and
17lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) youth
18experiencing suicidal ideation, including the National Suicide
19Prevention Lifeline and the Trevor Project, respectively.
20(e) According to the Family Acceptance Project, research has
21found that, for an LGBTQ youth, having at least one supportive
22adult can reduce the youth’s risk of suicide.
23(f) A model policy on suicide prevention created in consultation
24with suicide prevention experts and other stakeholders is available
25through the Trevor Project for adoption or adaptation, or both, by
26the State Department of Education and local educational agencies.
Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 215) is added
2to Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education
3Code, to read:
4
(a) begin deleteA end deletebegin insert(1)end insertbegin insert end insertbegin insertTheend insert governing board or body of a local
8educational agency that serves pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive,
9shall, before the beginning of the 2017-18 school year,begin delete adoptend delete
10begin insert adopt, at a regularly scheduled meeting,end insert a policy on pupil suicide
11begin delete prevention.end deletebegin insert
prevention in grades 7 to 12, inclusive.end insert The policy
12shall be developed in consultation with school and community
13stakeholders, school-employed mental health professionals, and
14suicide prevention experts, and shall, at a minimum, address
15procedures relating to suicide prevention, intervention, and
16postvention.
17(1)
end delete
18begin insert(2)end insert The policy shall specifically address the needs of high-risk
19groups, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
20(A) Youth bereaved by suicide.
21(B) Youth with
disabilities, mental illness, or substance use
22disorders.
23(C) Youth experiencing homelessness or in out-of-homebegin delete settings.end delete
24begin insert
settings, such as foster care.end insert
25(D) Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning youth.
26(2)
end delete
27begin insert(3)end insert begin insert(A)end insertbegin insert end insert The policy shall also address any training to be provided
28to teachers of pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, on suicide
29awareness and prevention.
30(A)
end delete
31begin insert(B)end insert Materials approved by a local educational agency for training
32shall include how to identify appropriate mental health services,
33both within the schoolsite and also within the larger community,
34and when and how to refer youth and their families to those
35services.
36(B)
end delete
37begin insert(C)end insert Materials approved for training may also include programs
38that can be completed through self-review of suitable suicide
39prevention materials.
P4 1(4) The policy shall be written to ensure that a school employee
2acts only within the authorization and scope of the employee’s
3credential or license. Nothing in this section shall be construed
4as authorizing or encouraging a school employee to diagnose or
5treat mental illness unless the employee is specifically licensed
6and employed to do so.
7(3)
end delete
8begin insert(5)end insert To assist local educational agencies in developing policies
9for pupil suicide prevention, the department shall develop and
10maintain a model policy in accordance with this section to serve
11as a guide for
local educational agencies.
12(b) For purposes of this section, “local educational agency”
13means a county office of education, school district, state special
14school, or charter school.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
16this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
17local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
18pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
194 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
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