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PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2479
PRINTER'S NO. 4045
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1822
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY SCHLOSSBERG, CALTAGIRONE, DEAN, DRISCOLL, MURT,
O'BRIEN, PASHINSKI, ROTHMAN, ROZZI, SCHWEYER, SIMS, THOMAS,
WARREN, ROEBUCK, DeLUCA, D. COSTA, DAVIDSON, M. QUINN,
WATSON, DEASY, SNYDER, WHEATLEY, KORTZ, SOLOMON AND BRIGGS,
SEPTEMBER 26, 2017
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, SEPTEMBER 24, 2018
AN ACT
Amending Title 24 (Education) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, providing for suicide prevention in institutions of
higher education.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 24 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a chapter to read:
CHAPTER 71
SUICIDE PREVENTION IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Sec.
7101. Scope of chapter.
7102. Definitions.
7103. Student mental health and suicide prevention plans.
7104. CERTIFIED SUICIDE PREVENTION INSTITUTION OF HIGHER
EDUCATION.
ยง 7101. Scope of chapter.
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This chapter relates to suicide prevention in institutions of
higher education.
ยง 7102. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Education enterprise." An educational activity in this
Commonwealth:
(1) for which college credits or continuing education
units are awarded, continuing professional education is
offered or tuition or fees are charged or collected; and
(2) that is sponsored by a corporation, entity or
institution that is incorporated or authorized by other means
in a state other than this Commonwealth and is approved and
authorized to operate in this Commonwealth under Chapter 65
(relating to private colleges, universities and seminaries)
and 15 Pa.C.S. Pt. II Subpt. B (relating to business
corporations) or C (relating to nonprofit corporations).
"Institution of higher education." Any of the following:
(1) A community college that is an institution now or
hereafter created pursuant to Article XIX-A of the act of
March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School
Code of 1949, or the act of August 24, 1963 (P.L.1132,
No.484), known as the Community College Act of 1963.
(2) An independent institution of higher education that
is an institution of higher education located in and
incorporated or chartered by the Commonwealth, entitled to
confer degrees as set forth in section 6505 (relating to
power to confer degrees) and entitled to apply to itself the
designation "college," "university" or "seminary" as provided
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for by standards and qualifications prescribed by the State
board under Chapter 65.
(3) A State-owned institution.
(4) A State-related institution.
(5) An education enterprise.
"INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION." INCLUDES ANY OF THE
FOLLOWING:
(1) A COMMUNITY COLLEGE OPERATING UNDER ARTICLE XIX-A OF
THE ACT OF MARCH 10, 1949 (P.L.30, NO.14), KNOWN AS THE
PUBLIC SCHOOL CODE OF 1949 .
(2) A UNIVERSITY WITHIN THE STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER
EDUCATION.
(3) THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF
PITTSBURGH, TEMPLE UNIVERSITY, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OR ANY
OTHER INSTITUTION DESIGNATED AS STATE-RELATED BY THE
COMMONWEALTH.
(4) THE THADDEUS STEVENS COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY.
(5) A COLLEGE ESTABLISHED UNDER ARTICLE XIX-G OF THE
PUBLIC SCHOOL CODE OF 1949 .
(6) AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOCATED IN AND
INCORPORATED OR CHARTERED BY THE COMMONWEALTH AND ENTITLED TO
CONFER DEGREES AS SET FORTH IN SECTION 6505 (RELATING TO
POWER TO CONFER DEGREES) AND AS PROVIDED FOR BY THE STANDARDS
AND QUALIFICATIONS PRESCRIBED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
UNDER CHAPTER 65 (RELATING TO PRIVATE COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES
AND SEMINARIES).
(7) A PRIVATE SCHOOL LICENSED UNDER THE ACT OF DECEMBER
15, 1986 (P.L.1585, NO.174), KNOWN AS THE PRIVATE LICENSED
SCHOOLS ACT.
(8) A FOREIGN CORPORATION APPROVED TO OPERATE AN
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EDUCATIONAL ENTERPRISE UNDER 22 PA. CODE CH. 36 (RELATING TO
FOREIGN CORPORATION STANDARDS).
ยง 7103. Student mental health and suicide prevention plans.
(a) Plan required and minimum required contents.--Each
institution of higher education shall MAY develop and implement
a plan to advise students and staff on mental health and suicide
prevention programs available both on campus and off campus. The
mental health and suicide prevention plan shall SHOULD , at a
minimum, include:
(1) Contact information for national, State and local
suicide prevention hotlines.
(2) Crisis intervention services, which shall include
providing the address, telephone number or any other contact
information of individuals with training and experience in
mental health issues who focus on suicide prevention. An
institution of higher education shall make individuals with
training and experience available on campus or remotely for
students 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
(3) Mental health services and access, which shall
include providing the necessary information to access mental
health services, including, but not limited to, health
promotion and wellness, student health and counseling, crisis
services, local mental health providers and mental health
clinics.
(4) Multimedia access, which shall include mental health
and suicide warning signs, services available to individuals
at no cost and available mental health and suicide prevention
resources, which may include mobile applications.
(5) Student communication plans, which shall consist of
outreach plans regarding, at a minimum, mental health
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services and suicide prevention.
(6) Postintervention plans, which shall include a
process to create a strategic plan to communicate effectively
with students, staff and parents after the loss of a student
to suicide.
(b) Public posting.-- An IF AN institution of higher
education ADOPTS A PLAN UNDER SUBSECTION (A), THE INSTITUTION OF
HIGHER EDUCATION shall post on the institution's publicly
accessible Internet website the following:
(1) The mental health and suicide prevention plan
adopted by the institution of higher education.
(2) Applicable free prevention materials or programs.
(c) Information for students.-- The IF AN INSTITUTION OF
HIGHER EDUCATION ADOPTS A PLAN UNDER SUBSECTION (A), THE
following shall apply:
(1) An THE institution of higher education shall provide
all incoming students with the information required under
subsection (a)(1) and (2).
(2) No less than twice a calendar year, an THE
institution of higher education shall transmit to each
student by mail or e-mail the information under subsection
(a)(1) and (2).
(D) REVIEW AND UPDATE.--IF AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER
EDUCATION ADOPTS A PLAN UNDER SUBSECTION (A), THE INSTITUTION OF
HIGHER EDUCATION SHALL REVIEW AND UPDATE THE PLAN AT LEAST ONCE
ANNUALLY.
ยง 7104. CERTIFIED SUICIDE PREVENTION INSTITUTION OF HIGHER
EDUCATION.
(A) TRANSMITTAL OF PLAN.--IF AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER
EDUCATION ADOPTS A PLAN UNDER SECTION 7103(A) (RELATING TO
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STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION PLANS), THE
INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION SHALL TRANSMIT A COPY OF THE
PLAN TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BY AUGUST 1 OF EACH YEAR.
(B) DUTIES OF DEPARTMENT.--
(1) IF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RECEIVES A STUDENT
MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION PLAN FROM AN INSTITUTION
OF HIGHER EDUCATION, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL POST THAT
INFORMATION ON ITS PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET WEBSITE.
(2) IF AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION SUBMITS A PLAN
TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CONTAINING INFORMATION UNDER
SECTION 7103(A)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5) AND (6), THE
DEPARTMENT SHALL DESIGNATE THE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER
EDUCATION AS A CERTIFIED SUICIDE PREVENTION INSTITUTION OF
HIGHER EDUCATION.
(3) THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION MAY ADOPT OR CREATE A
LOGO FOR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION THAT HAVE BEEN
CERTIFIED AS CERTIFIED SUICIDE PREVENTION INSTITUTIONS OF
HIGHER EDUCATION. IF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ADOPTS OR
CREATES A LOGO, AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION WHICH HAS
BEEN CERTIFIED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION MAY USE THE
LOGO.
(C) DESIGNATION OF INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.--UPON
LISTING OF AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION'S PLAN CONTAINING
INFORMATION UNDER SECTION 7103(A)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5) AND (6)
ON THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET
WEBSITE, THE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION MAY USE AND MARKET
THE DESIGNATION OF "CERTIFIED SUICIDE PREVENTION INSTITUTION OF
HIGHER EDUCATION."
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 120 days.
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