1Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2act relating to the public school system, including certain
3provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5laws relating thereto," <-in terms and courses of study,
6providing for youth suicide awareness and prevention <-training 
<-7education.

8The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
9hereby enacts as follows:

10Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
11as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
12section to read:

13Section 1205.7. Youth Suicide Awareness and Prevention
<-14Training.--(a) Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, the
15professional development plan submitted by each school entity to
16the secretary for approval pursuant to section 1205.1 shall

1include <-Education.--(a) Within ninety (90) days of the
2effective date of this section <-Beginning with the 2015-2016
3school year, school entities shall adopt a youth suicide
4awareness and prevention policy. The policy shall be established
5in conjunction with a youth suicide prevention organization
6operating in this Commonwealth. The policy shall <-include, but
7not be limited to:

8(1) <-A Provide a statement on youth suicide prevention and
9awareness and the protocols for administering youth suicide
10prevention education.

<-11(2) Direct the chief school administrator of the school
12entity to implement a procedure that identifies:

<-13(2) (i) Methods of prevention, including protocols for early
14identification and referral of students at risk of suicide.

<-15(3) (ii) Methods of intervention, including protocols that
16address an emotional or mental health safety plan for students
17identified as being at increased risk of suicide.

<-18(4) (iii) Methods of postvention, including protocols for
19responding to a student or staff suicide or suicide attempt.

<-20(5) (iv) Reporting procedures.

<-21(6) (v) Current contact information for and resources
22available on suicide awareness and prevention programs.

23(b) A school entity:

24(1) Shall inform all school entity employes of the policy
25and make available to them youth suicide awareness and
26prevention education, materials and resources based on the
27policy.

28(2) Shall, beginning with the <-2014-2015 2015-2016 school
29year, submit the professional development plan to the secretary
30for approval pursuant to section 1205.1 that includes four (4)

1hours of training in youth suicide awareness and prevention
2every five (5) years for professional educators in school
3buildings serving students in grade six (6), seven (7), eight
4(8), nine (9), ten (10), eleven (11) or twelve (12). Training
5under this subsection may be used to satisfy a professional
6educator's continuing professional education requirement under
7section 1205.2.

<-8(b) Within one hundred eighty (180) days of the effective
9date of this section, the Department of Education, in
10consultation with the Department of Health, shall develop and
11make available on its publicly accessible Internet website
12recommended guidelines and educational materials for the
13training required under subsection (a), which may include
14materials which are already publicly available. In providing the
15training required under subsection (a), a school entity shall
16not be required to use the guidelines and materials developed
17and made available by the Department of Education.

<-18(3) May provide youth suicide awareness and prevention
19education to other staff, including contractors and nonteaching
20staff.

21(4) Shall incorporate youth suicide awareness and prevention
22education that is based on the policy and is age appropriate
23into the curriculum. A school entity may utilize the youth
24suicide awareness and prevention education, materials and
25resources from a list of approved resources maintained by the
26Department of Education.

27(c) The Department of Education shall maintain a list of
28approved resources and training materials and age-appropriate
29youth suicide awareness and prevention education, materials and
30resources as provided in subsection (b) on its publicly

1accessible Internet website. The Department of Education shall
2work in conjunction with a youth suicide prevention organization
3operating in this Commonwealth to determine which materials and
4resources are most appropriate.

<-5(c) (d) For purposes of this section, "school entity" shall
6mean a school district, joint school district, charter school,
7regional charter school, cyber charter school, intermediate unit
8or area vocational-technical school. <-the following words and
9phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection
10unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

11"Chief school administrator." The superintendent of a public
12school district, superintendent of an area vocational-technical
13school, executive director of an intermediate unit or chief
14executive officer of a charter school.

15"School entity." A school district, joint school district,
16charter school, regional charter school, cyber charter school,
17intermediate unit or area vocational-technical school.

18Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, <-2013 2014, or
19immediately, whichever is later.