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An Act To Increase Suicide Awareness and Prevention in Maine Public Schools
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §4502, sub-§5, ¶O, as amended by PL 2007, c. 141, §9, is further amended to read:
 
O. Preparation of a written local policy and implementation of training for all guidance counselors and school personnel who administer reintegration planning pursuant to section 254, subsection 12, who participate in a reintegration team and who have access to confidential criminal justice information regarding juveniles pursuant to section 1055, subsection 12; and
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §4502, sub-§5, ¶P, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 141, §10, is amended to read:
 
P. Provision of family outreach and support programs designed to improve parent-school relations and parenting skills consistent with section 4252, subsection 8.; and
Sec. 3.  20-A MRSA §4502, sub-§5, ¶Q  is enacted to read:
 
Q.  Suicide prevention awareness education for all school personnel and suicide prevention and intervention training for certain personnel.
Sec. 4. Rules. The Department of Education shall adopt rules to implement standards for suicide prevention awareness education and for suicide prevention and intervention training as required by the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 4502, subsection 5, paragraph Q. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are designated as routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. Rules adopted pursuant to this section must include but are not limited to the following:
1. Suicide prevention awareness education for all school personnel. A requirement, beginning in the 2014-2015 school year for high schools and in the 2015-2016 school year for elementary and middle schools, of completion of a one to 2 hour in-service training module in suicide prevention by all school personnel. This requirement must apply to all school personnel by the commencement of the school year or for those employees who are newly hired within 6 months from the beginning of employment. Suicide prevention awareness eduction must be repeated every 5 years; and
2. Suicide prevention and intervention training per school administrative unit. A requirement, beginning in the 2014-2015 school year, of completion of a one-day course in suicide prevention and intervention training that will result in at least 2 school personnel trained in suicide prevention and intervention in each school administrative unit and in each island, charter and public school that is not in a school administrative unit. Additional trained school personnel above the minimum of 2 are required if the number of students in the school administrative unit is above 1,000 as follows: For 1,001-1,500 students, one additional school personnel; for 1,501-2,000 students, 2 additional school personnel; for 2,001-2,500 students, 3 additional school personnel; for 2,501-3,000 students, 4 additional school personnel; for 3,001-3,500 students, 5 additional school personnel; for 3,501-4,000 students, 6 additional school personnel; for 4,001-4,500 students, 7 additional school personnel; for 4,501-5,000 students, 8 additional school personnel; for 5,001-5,500 students, 9 additional school personnel; for 5,501-6,000 students, 10 additional school personnel; for 6,001-6,500 students, 11 additional school personnel; for 6,501-7,000 students, 12 additional school personnel; for 7,001-7,500 students, 13 additional school personnel; and for 7,501 or more students, 14 additional school personnel. Suicide prevention and intervention training must be repeated every 5 years.
Suicide prevention awareness education and suicide prevention and intervention training under this section must conform to national guidelines adopted by organizations that offer best practice, research-based training. Suicide prevention awareness education must be made available on a publicly accessible website. Training pursuant to this section must count toward satisfaction of professional development requirements for the Department of Education and licensure requirements for licensed professionals.
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Department of Education to adopt rules on standards for schools and school administrative units for suicide prevention education and training. The training and education will include suicide prevention awareness education for all personnel and more advanced suicide prevention and intervention training for at least 2 persons per school district.