AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Interested parties cite a report by the Centers for Disease Control in noting that suicide is a leading cause of preventable death for middle-school and high-school aged youth in the United States and that, of the teens who have attempted suicide, an overwhelming majority gave clear warning signs. The parties assert that ensuring that state educators remain up-to-date on best practices for suicide prevention and remain attentive to warning signs will save lives. The parties conclude that prevention requires education, making it important that educators are sufficiently trained in suicide prevention.  H.B. 2186 provides periodic suicide prevention training for certain school personnel.

 

H.B. 2186 amends current law relating to suicide prevention training for certain educators and other employees of a school district.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Authorizes this Act to be cited as the Jason Flatt Act in memory of Jonathan Childers.

 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 161.325(c-2), Health and Safety Code, as follows:

 

(c-2)  Requires that the training, if a school district provides training under Subsection (c-1) (requiring each school district, except as otherwise provided by this subsection, to provide training described in the components set forth), specifically address the prevention of youth suicide, and requires a school district employee described under that subsection to participate in the training at least once annually.

 

Deletes existing text requiring a school district employee described under that subsection, if a school district provides the training under Subsection (c-1), to participate in the training at least one time; and requiring the school district to maintain records that include the name of each district employee who participated in the training.

 

SECTION 3.  Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 school year.

 

SECTION 4.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.