AB 2246 Advisory Committee
Model School District Policy on Suicide Prevention
Statutory Framework
AB 2246, O'Donnell, added Article2.5.Pupil Suicide Prevention Policies to the California Education Code, creating Section 215 which provides as follows:
Section 215(a)(1)The governing board or body of a local educational agency that serves pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, shall, before the beginning of the 2017–18 school year, adopt, at a regularly scheduled meeting, a policy on pupil suicide prevention in grades 7 to 12, inclusive. The policy shall be developed in consultation with school and community stakeholders, school-employed mental health professionals, and suicide prevention experts and shall, at a minimum, address procedures relating to suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.
2)The policy shall specifically address the needs of high-risk groups, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A)Youth bereaved by suicide.
(B)Youth with disabilities, mental illness, or substance use disorders.
(C)Youth experiencing homelessness or in out-of-home settings, such as foster care.
(D)Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning youth.
(3)(A)The policy shall also address any training to be provided to teachers of pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, on suicide awareness and prevention.
(B)Materials approved by a local educational agency for training shall include how to identify appropriate mental health services, both at the schoolsite and within the larger community, and when and how to refer youth and their families to those services.
(C)Materials approved for training may also include programs that can be completed through self-review of suitable suicide prevention materials.
(4)The policy shall be written to ensure that a school employee acts only within the authorization and scope of the employee’s credential or license. Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing or encouraging a school employee to diagnose or treat mental illness unless the employee is specifically licensed and employed to do so.
(5)To assist local educational agencies in developing policies for pupil suicide prevention, the department shall develop and maintain a model policy in accordance with this section to serve as a guide for local educational agencies.
(b)For purposes of this section, “local educational agency” means a county office of education, school district, state special school, or charter school.
In accordance with Section 215(a)(5), the California Department of Education (CDE) is convening the AB2246 Advisory Committee to advise and support the CDE in the development of a model policy and the compilation and promotion of resources related to suicide prevention. The Committee may determine, in recognition that sometimes one model serve all, more than one model policy would be more helpful to better match the diversity of Local Educational Agencies throughout California.
Core Elements of a Model School District Policy on Suicide Prevention
The Governing Board recognizes that suicide is a major cause of death among youth and should be taken seriously. In order to attempt to reduce suicidal behavior and its impact on students and families, the Superintendent/designee shall develop preventive strategies and intervention procedures that include the following:
- Parental and other stakeholder involvement in plan development and youth suicide prevention.
- Access to school-based mental health services and supports
- Focus on risk factors, including identification of student populations that are at elevated risk for suicidal behavior, and protective factors
- Prevention
District policy implementation, including a district level suicide prevention coordinator designated by the superintendent
School level suicide prevention coordinator designated by the principal
Annual staff professional development for all staff on risk factors, warning signs, the impact of trauma,common misconceptions about suicide, protective factors, response procedures including multi-tiered systems of support,referrals, postvention, and resources regarding youthsuicide prevention.The professional development will include additionalinformation regarding groups of students,both generally and locally,at elevatedrisk for suicide.
- Additional professional development in risk assessmentand crisis intervention will be provided to school employedmental health professionals and school nurses.
Youth Suicide Prevention Programming. Developmentally-appropriate, student-centered educationmaterials will be integrated into the curriculum of allK-12 health classes. Consider using a screening tool to identify at-risk students. Consider a peer leader program or adding a club on campus that advocates for suicide prevention
Efforts to promote a positive school climate that enhances students’ feelings of connectedness with the school and is characterized by caring staff and harmonious interrelationships among students.
- Assessment and referral, including being seen on the same day by a mental health professional, continuous supervision of the student, notification of parents/guardians, suicide prevention coordinators and emergency services (as appropriate, and obtaining written permission form parent or guardian to discuss the student’s health with outside care, if appropriate.
- Staff members shall encourage students to notify a teacher, principal, psychologist, or other adult when they are experiencing thoughts of suicide or when they suspect or have knowledge of another student’s suicidal intentions.
- Designation of a multidisciplinary crisis team
- Action plan for in-school suicide attempts
- Action plan for out-of-school suicide attempts
- Protocols for parent/guardian notification and involvement
- Re-entry procedure for students returning to school after a mental health crisis
- Specific focus on the relationship between bullying and suicide
- Postvention – development and implementation of an action plan to guide school response following a death by suicide, including with regard to messaging and suicide contagion
- Comprehensive list of available resources, including local resources.