Student Suicide Prevention Grant Program

The bill creates the student suicide prevention grant program for schools (grant program) in the department of public health and environment (department) to be administered by the department. The purpose of the grant program is to provide financial assistance to school districts, schools of a school district, including charter schools, and institute charter schools to develop and implement student suicide prevention policies and training programs. The bill specifies the minimum requirements for the policies and training programs. The department is required to work with the office of suicide prevention in the department and the school safety resource center in the department of public safety in implementing the grant program.

Each grant recipient is required to submit information concerning the use of the grant money to the department, and the department is required to submit an annual report concerning implementation of the grant program to the health and human services committee of the senate and the public health care and human services committee of the house of representatives. The department is required to post on its website available evidence-based best practices and other resources for persons involved in student suicide prevention.

The grant program is funded by money appropriated from the school safety resource center cash fund.

The bill authorizes the existing office of suicide prevention in statute.

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)