1     
YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMS AMENDMENTS

2     
2021 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Brian S. King

5     
Senate Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

6     Cosponsors:
7     Cheryl K. Acton
8     Gay Lynn Bennion
9     Joel K. Briscoe
10     Clare Collard
11     Jennifer Dailey-Provost
12     Steve Eliason
13     Stephen G. Handy
Sandra Hollins
Karen Kwan
Rosemary T. Lesser
Ashlee Matthews
Carol Spackman Moss
Doug Owens
Stephanie Pitcher
Angela Romero
Andrew Stoddard
Steve Waldrip
Raymond P. Ward
Elizabeth Weight
Douglas R. Welton
Mark A. Wheatley

14     

15     LONG TITLE
16     General Description:
17          This bill amends provisions related to the purposes for youth suicide prevention
18     programs.
19     Highlighted Provisions:
20          This bill:
21          ▸     amends provisions related to the purposes for youth suicide prevention programs;
22          ▸     divides elements of the youth suicide prevention programs between elementary
23     grades and secondary grades;
24          ▸     requires communication between the school district or charter school and certain
25     parents or guardians;
26          ▸     requires school districts and charter schools to ensure coordination between youth
27     suicide prevention programs and certain other prevention programs;
28          ▸     repeals a separate program to consolidate funding and effort into one
29     comprehensive suicide prevention program; and
30          ▸     makes technical and conforming changes.
31     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
32          None
33     Other Special Clauses:
34          None
35     Utah Code Sections Affected:
36     AMENDS:
37          53G-9-702, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapters 293, 324, and 447
38     REPEALS:
39          53F-5-206, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2018, Chapter 414 and renumbered and
40     amended by Laws of Utah 2018, Chapter 2
41     

42     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
43          Section 1. Section 53G-9-702 is amended to read:
44          53G-9-702. Youth suicide prevention programs -- State board to develop model
45     programs.
46          (1) As used in the section:
47          (a) "Elementary grades" means:
48          (i) kindergarten through grade 5; and
49          (ii) if the associated middle or junior high school does not include grade 6, grade 6.
50          [(a)] (b) "Intervention" means an effort to prevent a student from attempting suicide.
51          [(b)] (c) "Postvention" means mental health intervention after a suicide attempt or
52     death to prevent or contain contagion.
53          [(c)] (d) "Program" means a youth suicide prevention program described in Subsection
54     (2).
55          [(d)] (e) "Public education suicide prevention coordinator" means an individual
56     designated by the state board as described in Subsection [(3)] (4).
57          [(e)] (f) "Secondary grades" means:
58          (i) [means] grades 7 through 12; and
59          (ii) if a middle or junior high school includes grade 6, [includes] grade 6.
60          [(f)] (g) "State suicide prevention coordinator" means the state suicide prevention
61     coordinator described in Section 62A-15-1101.
62          (2) In collaboration with the public education suicide prevention coordinator, a school
63     district or charter school[, in the secondary grades of the school district or charter school,] shall
64     implement a youth suicide prevention program, which, in collaboration with the training,
65     programs, and initiatives described in Section 53G-9-607, shall include programs and training
66     to address:
67          [(a) bullying and cyberbullying, as those terms are defined in Section 53G-9-601;]
68          (a) for elementary grades and secondary grades:
69          (i) life-affirming education, including on the concepts of resiliency, healthy habits,
70     self-care, problem solving, and conflict resolution;
71          (ii) methods of strengthening the family; and
72          (iii) methods of strengthening a youth's relationships in the school and community; and
73          (b) for secondary grades:
74          [(b)] (i) prevention of youth suicide;
75          [(c) increased] (ii) decreasing the risk of suicide among youth who are:
76          (A) not accepted by family for any reason, including lesbian, gay, bisexual,
77     transgender, or questioning youth; or
78          (B) suffer from bullying;
79          [(d)] (iii) youth suicide intervention; and
80          [(e)] (iv) postvention for family, students, and faculty[;].
81          [(f) underage drinking of alcohol;]
82          [(g) methods of strengthening the family; and]
83          [(h) methods of strengthening a youth's relationships in the school and community.]
84          (3) Each school district and charter school shall ensure that the youth suicide
85     prevention program described in Subsection (2):
86          (a) considers appropriate coordination with the following prevention programs:
87          (i) the prevention of bullying and cyber-bullying, as those terms are defined in Section
88     53G-9-601; and
89          (ii) the prevention of underage drinking of alcohol and substance abuse under Section
90     53G-10-406; and
91          (b) includes provisions to ensure that the school district or charter school promptly
92     communicates with the parent or guardian of a student in accordance with Section 53G-9-604.
93          [(3)] (4) The state board shall:
94          (a) designate a public education suicide prevention coordinator; and
95          (b) in collaboration with the Department of [Heath] Health and the state suicide
96     prevention coordinator, develop model programs to provide to school districts and charter
97     schools:
98          (i) program training; and
99          (ii) resources regarding the required components described in [Subsection (2)(b)]
100     Subsections (2)(a) and (b).
101          [(4)] (5) The public education suicide prevention coordinator shall:
102          (a) oversee the youth suicide prevention programs of school districts and charter
103     schools; and
104          (b) coordinate prevention and postvention programs, services, and efforts with the state
105     suicide prevention coordinator[; and].
106          [(c) award grants in accordance with Section 53F-5-206.]
107          [(5)] (6) A public school suicide prevention program may allow school personnel to
108     ask a student questions related to youth suicide prevention, intervention, or postvention.
109          [(6)] (7) (a) Subject to legislative appropriation, the state board may distribute money
110     to a school district or charter school to be used to implement evidence-based practices and
111     programs, or emerging best practices and programs, for preventing suicide in the school district
112     or charter school.
113          (b) The state board shall [distribute] ensure that an LEA's allocation of funds from the
114     board's distribution of money under Subsection [(6)] (7)(a) [so that each school that enrolls
115     students in grade 7 or a higher grade receives an allocation of] provides an amount equal to at
116     least $1,000 per school.
117          (c) (i) A school shall use money allocated to the school under Subsection [(6)] (7)(b) to
118     implement evidence-based practices and programs, or emerging best practices and programs,
119     for preventing suicide.
120          (ii) Each school may select the evidence-based practices and programs, or emerging
121     best practices and programs, for preventing suicide that the school implements.
122          (8) An LEA may not charge indirect costs to the program.
123          Section 2. Repealer.
124          This bill repeals:
125          Section 53F-5-206, Grant awards for elementary suicide prevention programs.