Existing law requires the governing board or body of a county office of education, school district, state special school, or charter school that serves pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12 to adopt a policy on pupil suicide prevention that specifically addresses the procedures related to suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention; and requires that any training on suicide awareness and prevention to be provided to teachers of pupils in all of the grades served by the local educational agency. Current law requires the State Department of Education to develop and maintain a model policy in accordance with these provisions to serve as a guide for LEA in developing policies for pupil suicide prevention.
AB 58 requires that on or before January 1, 2025, an LEA review and update its policy on pupil suicide prevention, and revise training materials to incorporate best practices identified in the Department’s model policies. The bill encourages an LEA to provide suicide prevention training to teachers commencing the 2024-2025 school year.
The bill also requires that by June 1, 2024, the Department must complete the development of, and issue to LEA, resources, and guidance on how to conduct suicide awareness and prevention training remotely.
(AB 22 amends Education Code Section 215.)
