17:282.4

Title 17. Education

Chapter 1. General School Law

Part III. Public Schools and School Children

Subpart D-1. Permitted Courses of Study

17:282.4 Youth suicide prevention programs; student safety and violence and social isolation prevention training; policies; intent; rules; services; funding

A. (1) The legislature recognizes that adolescent suicide cuts across ethnic, economic, social, and age boundaries and has a tremendous and traumatic impact on surviving family members.

(2) The legislature finds that suicide is a significant cause of death in the United States, and that the health and well-being of our youth is critically important to the public welfare of Louisiana. The legislature further finds that attempted suicide is usually a symptom indicating that a person is experiencing stressful or traumatic events that push their normal coping strategies to the limit.

(3) It is the intent of the legislature to provide appropriate and timely help to Louisiana’s youth and families, to improve access and availability of prevention services statewide, and to prevent youth suicide and suicidal behaviors.

B. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall prescribe such rules and regulations as are necessary and proper for a statewide youth suicide prevention plan in public elementary and secondary schools. Such rules and regulations shall be developed collaboratively with the Louisiana Department of Health, Adolescent Health Initiative, and shall include the following:

(1) Procedures for the development of programs in the city, parish, and other local public school systems.

(2) Standards and policies for programs to offer services which may include but shall not be limited to the following:

(a) Individual, family, and group counseling services related to youth suicide prevention.

(b) Referral, crisis intervention, and information for students, parents, and school personnel.

C. Any city, parish, or other local public school system offering a youth suicide prevention program established pursuant to this Section shall do so in accordance with such rules and regulations adopted by the state board and shall report its participation to the state Department of Education. The department shall designate such a school as a Suicide Prevention Certified School and maintain an updated list of such schools on its website. A youth suicide prevention program may include but shall not be limited to the following:

(1) Classroom instruction, via in-person, video, or a combination of in-person and video training, integrated into the curricula designed to achieve any of the following objectives:

(a) Encourage sound decisionmaking and promote ethical development.

(b) Increase student awareness of the relationship between drug and alcohol use and youth suicide.

(c) Teach students how to identify the signs and signals of depression, suicide, and self-injury in themselves and in their peers; the importance of seeking help for themselves and their peers; and the process for seeking help.

(d) Inform students of the available community youth suicide prevention services and post information about these services on the school system’s website.

(e) Further cooperative efforts of school personnel and community youth suicide prevention program personnel.

(2) School- or community-based alternative programs outside of the classroom.

D. (1) A statewide youth suicide prevention plan shall be implemented upon the appropriation of funds specifically for this purpose. A portion of such funds shall be budgeted for purposes of program implementation to the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and to the Louisiana Department of Health, Adolescent Health Initiative.

(2) Any local youth suicide prevention program may be established and implemented in a city, parish, or other local public school system upon identifying and securing funds or services from other state and local agencies.

E. The state Department of Education and the Louisiana Department of Health shall jointly submit an annual report to the Senate and House committees on education on the status and effectiveness of the programs established pursuant to this Section.

F. (1) Each public and approved nonpublic secondary school shall post on its website the following information:

(a) The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline hotline number.

(b) A local suicide prevention hotline number, if available.

(2) The governing authority of each public and approved nonpublic secondary school that issues student identification cards shall have printed on the cards the information provided in Subparagraphs (1)(a) and (b) of this Subsection.

G. (1) As part of an existing, relevant course of instruction, each public school shall offer age- and grade-appropriate evidence-based training on suicide prevention and student safety and violence and social isolation prevention to students in grades six through twelve. For purposes of this Subsection, “evidence-based” shall mean the training meets one of the following criteria:

(a) Demonstrates a rationale based on high-quality research findings or positive evaluation that such a program or practice is likely to improve relevant outcomes and includes ongoing efforts to examine the effects of the program or practice.

(b) Has a statistically significant effect on relevant outcomes based on one of the following:

(i) Strong evidence from at least one experimental study.

(ii) Moderate evidence from at least one quasi-experimental study.

(iii) Promising evidence from at least one correlation study with statistical controls for selection bias.

(2) Each student shall receive not less than one hour or one standard class period, whichever is shorter, of training in suicide prevention per year. Such training may be administered through student assemblies or in-person, video, or a combination of in-person and video training and shall include but need not be limited to:

(a) How to identify observable warning signs and signals of an individual who may be at risk of harming themselves.

(b) The steps students can take to report harmful or potentially harmful activity.

(3) Each student shall receive not less than one hour or one standard class period, whichever is shorter, of training in student safety and violence and social isolation prevention per year. Such training may be administered through student assemblies, digital learning, and homework and shall include but need not be limited to:

(a) How to identify observable warning signs and signals of an individual who may be at risk of harming others.

(b) The importance of taking threats seriously and seeking help.

(d) What social isolation is and how to identify social isolation in others.

(e) The importance of taking social isolation seriously and seeking help for peers.

(f) How to utilize strategies to be more socially inclusive in the classroom and community and how to establish connections with others.

(4) Upon written request of a student’s parent or legal guardian, a student shall be excused from any of the training.

(5) The state Department of Education shall develop and maintain a list of evidence-based suicide prevention and student safety and violence and social isolation prevention training, including but not limited to no-cost programming, on the department website. The department shall review the list at least every three years.

H. Each public school governing authority shall allow the creation of a student-led club focused on suicide prevention, student safety, and violence and social isolation prevention for each school under its jurisdiction that has students in grades six through twelve. Each club shall:

(1) Be open to any member of the student population.

(2) Have at least one school employee serve as an advisor.

(3) Develop and maintain awareness activities related to suicide prevention or student safety and violence and social isolation prevention training.

(4) Foster opportunities for student leadership development.

Added by Acts 2001, No. 729, § 1, eff. June 25, 2001. Amended by Acts 2019, No. 93, § 1; Acts 2022, No. 643, § 2, eff. July 1, 2023; Acts 2023, No. 318, § 1.