Beginning in the 2026-27 school year and continuing in subsequent school years, the act requires school districts to provide at least two hours of suicide prevention training to all licensed educators. Such training shall include risk and protective factors, warning signs, response procedures, and postvention support, as the term "postvention" is defined in the act. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) shall include such information in its guidelines for training or professional development in youth suicide awareness and prevention.

The act repeals provisions requiring public schools and charter schools that serve pupils in grades 7-12 and that issue pupil identification cards to print certain information on such identification cards by July 1, 2025. By July 1, 2026, such identification cards shall include the three-digit dialing code for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 988. This provision contains an emergency clause (Section B).

For the 2027-28 school year and all subsequent school years, each school district shall update its policy on youth suicide awareness and prevention training for school district employees to include risk and protective factors, warning signs, response procedures, and postvention support, as defined in the act. The corresponding model policy currently developed by DESE shall be updated accordingly.

Finally, the act establishes "Brennan's Law", which requires each pupil in a public school to receive mental health awareness training at any time in grades 5-8. Such instruction shall be included in the school district's existing health or physical education curriculum and shall be based on a program established by DESE.

This act is similar to provisions in HB 244 (2025) and HCS/HB 2471 (2024).

OLIVIA SHANNON