By: Menéndez, et al. S.B. No. 1390
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to suicide prevention in public school curriculum and
  certain educational programs concerning suicide prevention and
  substance abuse prevention.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 21.451(d), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (d)  The staff development:
               (1)  may include training in:
                     (A)  technology;
                     (B)  conflict resolution;
                     (C)  discipline strategies, including classroom
  management, district discipline policies, and the student code of
  conduct adopted under Section 37.001 and Chapter 37;
                     (D)  preventing, identifying, responding to, and
  reporting incidents of bullying; and
                     (E)  digital learning;
               (2)  subject to Subsection (e) and to Section 21.3541
  and rules adopted under that section, must include training that is
  evidence-based, as defined by Section 8101, Every Student Succeeds
  Act (20 U.S.C. Section 7801), that:
                     (A)  relates to instruction of students with
  disabilities; and
                     (B)  is designed for educators who work primarily
  outside the area of special education; and
               (3)  must include 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 at least once every five
  years [on a schedule adopted by the agency by rule].
         SECTION 2.  Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
  follows:
         (a)  Each school district that offers kindergarten through
  grade 12 shall offer, as a required curriculum:
               (1)  a foundation curriculum that includes:
                     (A)  English language arts;
                     (B)  mathematics;
                     (C)  science; and
                     (D)  social studies, consisting of Texas, United
  States, and world history, government, economics, with emphasis on
  the free enterprise system and its benefits, and geography; and
               (2)  an enrichment curriculum that includes:
                     (A)  to the extent possible, languages other than
  English;
                     (B)  health, with emphasis on:
                           (i)  physical health, including the
  importance of proper nutrition and exercise;
                           (ii)  mental health, including instruction
  on mental health conditions, substance abuse, skills to manage
  emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and
  responsible decision-making; and
                           (iii)  suicide prevention, including
  recognizing suicide-related risk factors and warning signs;
                     (C)  physical education;
                     (D)  fine arts;
                     (E)  career and technology education;
                     (F)  technology applications;
                     (G)  religious literature, including the Hebrew
  Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament, and its impact on
  history and literature; and
                     (H)  personal financial literacy.
         (a-1)  In adopting the essential knowledge and skills for the
  health curriculum under Subsection (a)(2)(B), the State Board of
  Education shall adopt essential knowledge and skills that address:
               (1)  the relationship between drug and alcohol use and
  suicide;
               (2)  recognizing signs of suicidal tendencies and other
  warning signs of suicide;
               (3)  the risk of suicide or violent behavior as a side
  effect of psychotropic medication; and
               (4)  help-seeking behaviors and available community
  suicide prevention services.
         SECTION 3.  Section 28.004, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (o) to read as
  follows:
         (c)  The local school health advisory council's duties
  include recommending:
               (1)  the number of hours of instruction to be provided
  in health education;
               (2)  policies, procedures, strategies, and curriculum
  appropriate for specific grade levels designed to prevent obesity,
  cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and mental health
  concerns, including suicide, through coordination of:
                     (A)  health education;
                     (B)  physical education and physical activity;
                     (C)  nutrition services;
                     (D)  parental involvement;
                     (E)  instruction to prevent the use of
  e-cigarettes, as defined by Section 161.081, Health and Safety
  Code, and tobacco;
                     (F)  school health services;
                     (G)  counseling and guidance services;
                     (H)  a safe and healthy school environment; and
                     (I)  school employee wellness;
               (3)  appropriate grade levels and methods of
  instruction for human sexuality instruction;
               (4)  strategies for integrating the curriculum
  components specified by Subdivision (2) with the following elements
  in a coordinated school health program for the district:
                     (A)  school health services;
                     (B)  counseling and guidance services;
                     (C)  a safe and healthy school environment; and
                     (D)  school employee wellness; and
               (5)  if feasible, joint use agreements or strategies
  for collaboration between the school district and community
  organizations or agencies.
         (o)  The local school health advisory council shall make
  policy recommendations to the district to increase:
               (1)  parental awareness of suicide-related risk
  factors and warning signs and available community suicide
  prevention services; and
               (2)  school personnel awareness of risks and side
  effects associated with psychotropic medications, with particular
  attention to suicidal thoughts or actions, agitation, aggression,
  hostility, mania, akathisia, and other risks and side effects that
  may be associated with violent or self-harming behavior.
         SECTION 4.  Section 161.325(a-1), Health and Safety Code, as
  amended by Chapter 714 (H.B. 4056) and Chapter 522 (S.B. 179), Acts
  of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, is reenacted and
  amended to read as follows:
         (a-1)  The list must include programs and practices in the
  following areas:
               (1)  early mental health prevention and intervention;
               (2)  [mental health promotion;
               [(3)]  substance abuse prevention and intervention;
               (3) [(4)  substance abuse intervention;
               [(5)]  suicide prevention, intervention, and
  postvention;
               (4) [(6)]  grief-informed and trauma-informed
  practices;
               (5) [(7)]  building skills related to managing
  emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and
  responsible decision-making;
               (6) [(8)]  positive behavior interventions and
  supports and positive youth development; and
               (7) [(9)]  safe, [and] supportive, and positive school
  climate.
         SECTION 5.  Section 161.325, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by adding Subsection (a-4) and amending Subsections (b) and
  (d) to read as follows:
         (a-4)  In this section, "postvention" includes activities
  that promote healing necessary to reduce the risk of suicide by a
  person affected by the suicide of another.
         (b)  The suicide prevention programs on the list must include
  components that provide for training counselors, teachers, nurses,
  administrators, and other staff, as well as law enforcement
  officers and social workers who regularly interact with students,
  to:
               (1)  recognize students at risk of committing suicide,
  including students who are or may be the victims of or who engage in
  bullying;
               (2)  recognize students displaying early warning signs
  and a possible need for early mental health or substance abuse
  intervention, which warning signs may include declining academic
  performance, depression, anxiety, isolation, unexplained changes
  in sleep or eating habits, and destructive behavior toward self and
  others; [and]
               (3)  intervene effectively with students described by
  Subdivision (1) or (2) by providing notice and referral to a parent
  or guardian so appropriate action, such as seeking mental health or
  substance abuse services, may be taken by a parent or guardian; and
               (4)  assist students in returning to school following
  treatment of a mental health concern or suicide attempt.
         (d)  A school district shall [may] develop practices and
  procedures concerning each area listed in Subsection (a-1),
  including mental health promotion and intervention, substance
  abuse prevention and intervention, and suicide prevention, that:
               (1)  include a procedure for providing notice of a
  recommendation for early mental health or substance abuse
  intervention regarding a student to a parent or guardian of the
  student within a reasonable amount of time after the identification
  of early warning signs as described by Subsection (b)(2);
               (2)  include a procedure for providing notice of a
  student identified as at risk of committing suicide to a parent or
  guardian of the student within a reasonable amount of time after the
  identification of early warning signs as described by Subsection
  (b)(2);
               (3)  establish that the district may develop a
  reporting mechanism and may designate at least one person to act as
  a liaison officer in the district for the purposes of identifying
  students in need of early mental health or substance abuse
  intervention or suicide prevention; [and]
               (4)  set out available counseling alternatives for a
  parent or guardian to consider when their child is identified as
  possibly being in need of early mental health or substance abuse
  intervention or suicide prevention; and
               (5)  include procedures:
                     (A)  to support the return of a student to school
  following hospitalization or residential treatment for a mental
  health condition or substance abuse; and
                     (B)  for suicide prevention, intervention, and
  postvention.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.