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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishment of a suicide prevention pilot program for |
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public high schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 29.920 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.920. SUICIDE PREVENTION. (a) The agency, in |
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coordination with the Department of State Health Services, shall |
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develop a comprehensive suicide prevention program designed to be |
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implemented on a pilot program basis in one or more public high |
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schools selected by the commissioner. |
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(b) The comprehensive program must include components that |
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provide for training high school counselors, teachers, nurses, |
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administrators, and other staff, as well as law enforcement |
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officers and social workers who regularly interact with high school |
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students, to: |
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(1) recognize students at risk of committing suicide; |
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and |
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(2) intervene effectively with those students by |
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providing all appropriate assistance, including referrals for |
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mental health services. |
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(c) In developing the comprehensive program, the agency and |
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the Department of State Health Services may consider any existing |
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suicide prevention method developed by a school district under |
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Section 11.252(a)(3)(B) or 33.006(b)(1)(A). |
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(d) The agency shall develop an application and selection |
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process for selecting high schools to participate in the pilot |
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program. |
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(e) The agency may solicit and accept a gift, grant, or |
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donation from any source for the development of the comprehensive |
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program or the implementation of that program on a pilot program |
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basis. |
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(f) Not later than January 1, 2011, the agency shall submit |
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a report to the legislature relating to the development of the |
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comprehensive program and the implementation of that program on a |
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pilot program basis. This subsection expires September 1, 2011. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |