HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3773        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 640

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

John J. Marsi and Paul K. Frost

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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 Jason Flatt Law to prevent to prevent teen suicide.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3773        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 640

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act Jason Flatt Law to prevent to prevent teen suicide.

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. Subsection (b), the second time it appears, of section 95 of Chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended be inserting the following:-

(1)Training shall also be required of all students starting in grade six and through grade 12 of each academic year as well as all licensed school personnel

(2)Training may be provided to students within the framework of existing in-service training programs offered by the department to public school personnel

(3)The department, in consultation with the department of public health, the department of mental health, the department of developmental services, education and mental health stakeholders, and suicide prevention stakeholders, shall develop a list of approved training materials to fulfill the requirements of this section. This list shall be evaluated and updated at least once every three years. Approved training materials and instruction shall include training on how to identify appropriate mental health services both within the school and the larger community, and when and how to refer youth and their families to those services. These materials and instruction are to be given by qualified suicide prevention instructors as determined by the listed entities and groups.

SECTION 2. Said section 95 of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after subsection (d) the following:-

(e) Each public school district shall adopt a policy on student suicide prevention. This policy shall, at a minimum, address procedures relating to suicide prevention, intervention and postvention. For the purposes of this chapter, “postvention” shall mean counseling, or other social care given to students after another student's suicide or attempted suicide. “Postvention” shall also include counseling to students that have made a suicide attempt or have reported ideation. This counseling shall consist of regular check-ins. For the purposes of this chapter, “regular” means a frequency as determined by a licensed mental health professional.

(1) To assist school districts in developing policies for student suicide prevention, the department shall develop and maintain a model policy, or adopt an existing policy as a model policy, to serve as a guide for school districts in accordance with this chapter to include, but not be limited to, parental notification procedures, clarification of engagement with student support personnel, and language defining an in-school issue compared to an out-of-school issue.