19.0404.01000
Sixty-sixth
Legislative Assembly SENATE BILL NO. 2149
of North Dakota
Introduced by
Senators Heckaman, Grabinger, Robinson
Representatives Devlin, Vigesaa
1 A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact section 15.1-07-34 of the North Dakota Century Code,
2 relating to mandatory instruction for students in mental health awareness and suicide
3 prevention.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA:
5 SECTION 1. AMENDMENT. Section 15.1-07-34 of the North Dakota Century Code is
6 amended and reenacted as follows:
7 15.1-07-34. Provision of youthYouth behavioral health training to teachers,
8 administrators, and ancillary staffand instruction.
9 1. Every two years, each school district shall provide a minimum of eight hours of
10 professional development on youth behavioral health to elementary, middle, and high
11 school teachers, and administrators. Each school district shall encourage ancillary and
12 support staff to participate in the professional development. Based on the annual
13 needs assessment of the school district, these hours must be designated from the
14 following categories:
15 a. Trauma;
16 b. Social and emotional learning, including resiliency;
17 c. Suicide prevention;
18 d. Bullying;
19 e. Understanding of the prevalence and impact of youth behavioral health wellness
20 on family structure, education, juvenile services, law enforcement, and health
21 care and treatment providers;
22 f. Knowledge of behavioral health symptoms, and risks;
23 g. Awareness of referral sources and evidence-based strategies for appropriate
24 interventions; or
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Legislative Assembly
1 h. Other evidence-based strategies to reduce risk factors for students.
2 2. Each school within a district shall employ a counselor trained in the youth behavioral
3 health crisis categories listed in subsection 1.
4 3. Each school district shall designate an individual in each school in the district as a first
5 responder on youth behavioral health concerns.
6 4. Each school district shall report the professional development hours required under
7 subsection 1 to the department of public instruction.
8 3.5. Each school district shall provide a minimum of three hours of instruction per semester
9 on mental health awareness and suicide prevention to all students in grades seven
10 through twelve. The instruction must include information on identifying warning signs,
11 risk factors, how to identify at-risk peers, and the availability of resources.
12 6. The superintendent of public instruction shall collaborate with regional education
13 associations to disseminate information, training and instructional materials, and
14 notice of training opportunities to school districts and nonpublic schools.
Page No. 2 19.0404.01000


Statutes affected:
INTRODUCED: 15.1-07-34
FIRST ENGROSSMENT: 15.1-07-34
Enrollment: 15.1-07-34