State SealARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 

SB1468: schools; suicide prevention training

PRIME SPONSOR: Senator Bowie, LD 18

BILL STATUS: Education

                                Judiciary

 

Overview

☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal NoteRequires school districts, charter schools, and Arizona teacher training programs to include suicide awareness and prevention training, and requires the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System Administration (AHCCCS) to make suicide awareness and prevention training available.

History

Certificated teachers and administrators must complete 15 continuing education credits each year to renew their certificate (A.R.S. § 15-203(14)(h)). Continuing education credits may include training on:

·         suicide awareness and prevention;

·         child abuse, human trafficking of children and the sexual abuse of children; and

·         screening, intervention, accommodation, use of technology and advocacy for students with reading impairments, including dyslexia (A.R.S. § 15-218 and A.A.C. R7-2-619)

Laws 2018, Ch. 276 (SB1520), §10 appropriated $100,000 to AHCCCS for a suicide prevention coordinator to assist school districts and charter schools in suicide prevention effort. AHCCCS, in consultation with the Arizona Department of Education, is required to report on this coordinator's accomplishments in FY2019 by September 1, 2019.

Provisions

Training for School District and Charter School Personnel

1.       Requires, beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, school districts and charter schools to provide training in suicide awareness and prevention to school personnel who work with pupils in grades six through twelve, such as school guidance counselors, teachers, and principals. (Sec. 1)

2.       Establishes requirements for this suicide awareness and prevention training, including that the training must use evidenced-based training materials and instruct participants on how to identify the warning signs of suicidal behavior in adolescents and teens. (Sec. 1)

3.       Mandates that each person who is required to take suicide awareness and prevention training complete this training once every three years. (Sec. 1)

4.       Allows suicide awareness and prevention training to be provided within the framework of existing in-service training programs offered by a school district or charter school or as part of professional development activities. (Sec. 1)

5.       States that school personnel, entities, or any other persons are not civilly or criminally liable for any actions taken in good faith related to suicide prevention training. (Sec. 1)

 

 

AHCCCS

6.       Requires AHCCCS to make suicide prevention training available and post this training information on its website. (Sec. 1)

7.       Directs AHCCCS to identify or develop and post on its website a list of approved materials that schools may use to provide the training by July 1, 2020. (Sec. 1)

8.       Requires AHCCCS to annually update these approved materials. (Sec. 1)

Teacher Training Program

9.       Mandates that each teacher training program develop or adopt evidenced-based instruction on suicide awareness and prevention and provide that instruction to all teacher candidates. (Sec. 2)

10.   Requires teacher training programs to include:

a.       Training in suicide prevention;

b.       Training to identify warning signs of suicidal behavior; and

c.        Appropriate intervention and referral techniques. (Sec. 2)

Miscellaneous

11.   Classifies any costs incurred by school districts in implementing suicide awareness and prevention training as classroom spending for the purposes of the Auditor General's annual report. (Sec. 1)

12.   States that this law may be cited as the Mitch Warnock Act. (Sec. 3)

 

 

 

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Fifty-fourth Legislature                               SB 1468

First Regular Session                    Version 1: Education

 

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