ENTITLED An Act to revise the method by which completion of a required suicide awareness and prevention training is verified.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of South Dakota:

Section 1. That   13-42-71 be AMENDED:

13-42-71. Prior to beginning employment at a school district or department-accredited school and every five years thereafter, an individual certified pursuant to this chapter and employed by a school district or department-accredited school must complete an approved youth suicide awareness and prevention training that is at least one hour in duration and shall submit a certificate showing completion of the approved training to the school district or department-accredited school where the individual is employed. The school district or department-accredited school shall retain the certificates submitted as a part of the documentation necessary to earn or maintain state accreditation.

The South Dakota Board of Education Standards shall consult with suicide prevention or counseling experts to identify evidence-based resources that will fulfill the youth suicide awareness and prevention training required by this section and shall make the list of the approved trainings available to school districts and department-accredited schools. An individual may complete a required training through a self-review of youth suicide prevention materials that are approved by the board, provided that the training issues a certificate of completion that contains:

(1) The name of the training completed;

(2) The name of the individual who completed the training;

(3) The length of the training completed; and

(4) The date on which the training was completed.

An Act to revise the method by which completion of a required suicide awareness and prevention training is verified.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 12/22/2023: 13-42-71
Enrolled, 01/30/2024: 13-42-71