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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to training for public school educators in identifying |
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mental health and suicide risks among students. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 161.325, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Subsections (c-1) and (c-2) and amending |
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Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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(c-1) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, each |
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school district shall provide training described in the components |
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set forth under Subsection (b) for teachers, counselors, |
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principals, and all other appropriate personnel. A school district |
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is required to provide the training at an elementary school campus |
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only to the extent that sufficient funding and programs are |
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available. A school district may implement a program on the list to |
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satisfy the requirements of this subsection. |
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(c-2) For any training under Subsection (c-1), each school |
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district shall maintain records that include the name of each |
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district employee who participated in the training. A school |
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district employee described under Subsection (c-1) must |
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participate in the training at least one time. |
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(d) The board of trustees of each school district shall |
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[may] adopt a policy concerning early mental health intervention |
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and suicide prevention that: |
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(1) establishes a procedure for providing notice of a |
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recommendation for early mental health intervention regarding a |
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student to a parent or guardian of the student within a reasonable |
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amount of time after the identification of early warning signs as |
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described by Subsection (b)(2); |
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(2) establishes a procedure for providing notice of a |
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student identified as at risk of committing suicide to a parent or |
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guardian of the student within a reasonable amount of time after the |
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identification of early warning signs as described by Subsection |
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(b)(2); |
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(3) establishes that the district may develop a |
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reporting mechanism and may designate at least one person to act as |
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a liaison officer in the district for the purposes of identifying |
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students in need of early mental health intervention or suicide |
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prevention; and |
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(4) sets out available counseling alternatives for a |
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parent or guardian to consider when their child is identified as |
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possibly being in need of early mental health intervention or |
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suicide prevention. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter O-1, Chapter 161, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 161.326 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 161.326. IMMUNITY. This subchapter does not: |
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(1) waive any immunity from liability of a school |
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district or of district school officers or employees; |
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(2) create any liability for a cause of action against |
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a school district or against district school officers or employees; |
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or |
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(3) waive any immunity from liability under Section |
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74.151, Civil Practice and Remedies Code. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |