REFERENCE TITLE: schools; suicide prevention training

 

 

 

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-fourth Legislature

First Regular Session

2019

 

 

SB 1468

 

Introduced by

Senators Bowie: Alston, Bradley, Carter, Contreras, Mesnard, Navarrete, Otondo, Rios, Steele; Representatives Epstein, Jermaine, Pawlik, Weninger

 

 

AN ACT

 

AMENDING Title 15, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-119; amending title 15, chapter 13, article 3, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15‑1656; relating to school personnel.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 


Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.  Title 15, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-119, to read:

START_STATUTE15-119.  Suicide prevention training; approved materials; posting; immunity

A.  Beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, school districts and charter schools shall provide the following for school guidance counselors, teachers, principals and other school personnel who work with pupils in grades six through twelve:

1.  Training in suicide prevention.

2.  Training to identify the warning signs of suicidal behavior in adolescents and teens.

3.  Appropriate intervention and referral techniques at least once every three years.

B.  The training prescribed in subsection a of this section:

1.  Must use evidence-based training materials.

2.  May be provided within the framework of existing in-service training programs offered by the school district or charter school or as part of professional development activities.

3.  Must be included as a part of each teacher training program in this state as prescribed in section 15-1656.

C.  The Arizona health care cost containment system administration shall develop a suicide prevention training program that complies with the requirements of this section and post this training program to the administration's website.  On or before July 1, 2020, the administration shall annually identify or develop and post on the administration's website a list of approved materials that schools may use to provide the training prescribed in subsection A of this section.  The administration shall annually update these approved materials.

D.  School personnel or any other persons are not civilly or criminally liable for any actions taken in good faith pursuant to this section. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2.  Title 15, chapter 13, article 3, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-1656, to read:

START_STATUTE15-1656.  Suicide prevention training

Each teacher training program in this state shall include training on suicide awareness and prevention that meets the requirements of section 15-119. END_STATUTE

Sec. 3.  Short title

This act may be cited as the "Mitch Warnock Act".