The bill modifies the requirements for suicide prevention education in schools by establishing a new timeline for training faculty and staff. Specifically, it mandates that all school personnel, including contracted staff, receive training in suicide awareness and prevention within 30 days of being hired, and subsequently every two years thereafter. This replaces the previous requirement of at least 2 hours of training annually, which has been deleted from the law. The training content may cover various aspects such as youth suicide risk factors, warning signs, and available resources, and can be integrated into existing professional development programs.

Additionally, the bill allows school districts and chartered public schools the flexibility to determine how to administer the training and may include self-training materials to meet the requirements. The effective date for this act is set for September 1, 2026. Overall, the changes aim to enhance the accessibility and frequency of suicide prevention training for school personnel while streamlining the requirements.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 193-J:2
HB1635 text: 193-J:2