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. C.S.H.B. 2186 provides periodic suicide prevention training for certain school personnel.
C.S.H.B. 2186 amends current law relating to suicide prevention training for educators in public schools.
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. Provides that this Act may be cited as the Jason Flatt Act in memory of Jonathan Childers.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 21.451, Education Code, by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsections (d-1) and (d-2), as follows:
(d) Provides that the staff development:
(1) and (2) Makes nonsubstantive changes to these subdivisions;
(3) must include suicide prevention training that must be provided on an annual basis, as part of a new employee orientation, to all new school district and open enrollment charter school educators and to existing school district and open-enrollment charter school educators on a schedule adopted by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) by rule.
(d-1) Requires that the suicide prevention training program required by Subsection (d)(3) use a best practice-based program recommended by the Department of State Health Services in coordination with TEA under Section 161.325 (Mental Health Promotion and Intervention, Substance Abuse Prevention and Intervention, and Suicide Prevention), Health and Safety Code.
(d-2) Provides that the suicide prevention training required by Subsection (d)(3) may be satisfied through independent review of suicide prevention training material that complies with the guidelines developed by TEA and is offered online.
SECTION 3. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 school year.
SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.