HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2039        FILED ON: 1/17/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 443

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Elizabeth A. Malia

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to suicide prevention training in schools.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

1/17/2013

Stephen L. DiNatale

3rd Worcester

 

Martin J. Walsh

13th Suffolk

1/28/2013

Cory Atkins

14th Middlesex

 

Angelo M. Scaccia

14th Suffolk

 

Antonio F. D. Cabral

13th Bristol

 

Karen E. Spilka

Second Middlesex and Norfolk

 

Kathi-Anne Reinstein

16th Suffolk

 

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2039        FILED ON: 1/17/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 443

By Ms. Malia of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 443) of Elizabeth A. Malia and others relative to suicide prevention training in schools.  Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

_______________

 

An Act relative to suicide prevention training in schools.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 71 of the Massachusetts General Laws shall be amended by adding the following section:

Section 94.

(1) the department shall adopt rules to require that all public school personnel receive at least 2 hours of suicide awareness and prevention training each year. This training shall be provided within the framework of existing in-service training programs offered by the department or as part of required professional development activities.

(2) department shall, in consultation with the department of public health, Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention, and suicide prevention experts, develop a list of approved training materials to fulfill the requirements of this Section.

(a) Approved materials shall include training on how to identify appropriate mental health services both within the school and also within the larger community, and when and how to refer youth and their families to those services.

(b) Approved materials may include programs that can be completed through self-review of suitable suicide prevention materials.

(3) No person shall have a cause of action for any loss or damage caused by any act or omission resulting from the implementation of the provisions of this Section or resulting from any training, or lack thereof, required by this Section.

(4) The training, or lack thereof, required by the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to impose any specific duty of care.