Section 28A.310.500. Youth suicide screening and referral—Response to emotional or behavioral distress in students—Training for educators and staff—Suicide prevention training.

(1) Each educational service district shall develop and maintain the capacity to offer training for educators and other school district staff on youth suicide screening and referral, and on recognition, initial screening, and response to emotional or behavioral distress in students, including but not limited to indicators of possible substance abuse, violence, and youth suicide. An educational service district may demonstrate capacity by employing staff with sufficient expertise to offer the training or by contracting with individuals or organizations to offer the training. Training may be offered on a fee-for-service basis, or at no cost to school districts or educators if funds are appropriated specifically for this purpose or made available through grants or other sources.

(2)(a) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, Forefront at the University of Washington shall convene a one-day in-person training of student support staff from the educational service districts to deepen the staff's capacity to assist schools in their districts in responding to concerns about suicide. Educational service districts shall send staff members to the one-day in-person training within existing resources.

(b) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, after establishing these relationships with the educational service districts, Forefront at the University of Washington must continue to meet with the educational service districts via videoconference on a monthly basis to answer questions that arise for the educational service districts, and to assess the feasibility of collaborating with the educational service districts to develop a multiyear, statewide rollout of a comprehensive school suicide prevention model involving regional trainings, on-site coaching, and cohorts of participating schools in each educational service district.

(c) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, Forefront at the University of Washington must work to develop public-private partnerships to support the rollout of a comprehensive school suicide prevention model across Washington's middle and high schools.

(d) The comprehensive school suicide prevention model must consist of:

(i) School-specific revisions to safe school plans required under RCW 28A.320.125, to include procedures for suicide prevention, intervention, assessment, referral, reentry, and intervention and recovery after a suicide attempt or death;

(ii) Developing, within the school, capacity to train staff, teachers, parents, and students in how to recognize and support a student who may be struggling with behavioral health issues;

(iii) Improved identification such as screening, and response systems such as family counseling, to support students who are at risk;

(iv) Enhanced community-based linkages of support; and

(v) School selection of appropriate curricula and programs to enhance student awareness of behavioral health issues to reduce stigma, and to promote resilience and coping skills.

(e) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, and by December 15, 2017, Forefront at the University of Washington shall report to the appropriate committees of the legislature, in accordance with RCW 43.01.036, with the outcomes of the educational service district trainings, any public-private partnership developments, and recommendations on ways to work with the educational service districts or others to implement suicide prevention.

[ 2016 c 96 § 5; 2013 c 197 § 6.]

NOTES:

Findings—Intent—Children's mental health work group—Inventory—School mental health service models—2016 c 96: See notes following RCW 74.09.495.

Finding—Intent—2013 c 197: See note following RCW 43.20A.765.

Findings—Intent—2013 c 197: See note following RCW 28A.410.226.

2016 c 96 § 5; 2013 c 197 § 6.