AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

In Texas, suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people ages 10 to 24, claiming one young life a day. Furthermore, one out of every six youth surveyed responded that they had “seriously considered suicide” and one out of 10 had attempted suicide in the past 12 months.  It is well known that educators often notice “red flags” in students.  C.S.S.B. 1169 seeks to provide educators with the necessary training to recognize those red flags and alert the appropriate person. Twelve other states have enacted legislation similar to C.S.S.B. 1169 to end this silent epidemic.

 

C.S.S.B. 1169 amends current law by requiring educators to annually complete two hours of training in suicide awareness and prevention using a best practice-based program recommended by the Department of State Health Services.

 

C.S.S.B. 1169 amends current law relating to suicide prevention training for educators in public schools.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Education Agency in SECTION 2 (Section 21.451, Education Code) of this bill.

 

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 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; and

 

(3)  must include at least two hours of suicide prevention training that must be provided:

 

(A) on an annual basis, as part of a new employee orientation, to all new school district and open-enrollment charter school educators; and

 

(B) 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 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:

 

(1) complies with the guidelines developed by TEA; and

 

(2) 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.