New Hampshire § 193-J-2 - Section 193-J:2 Suicide Prevention Education.

§ 193-J-2. Section 193-J:2 Suicide Prevention Education.

I. Each school district and chartered public school shall develop a policy that guides the development and implementation of a coordinated plan to prevent, assess the risk of, intervene in, and respond to suicide. The policy shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following provisions: (a) Training school faculty and staff, including contracted personnel and designated school volunteers, in youth suicide risk factors, warning signs, protective factors, response procedures, referrals, post-intervention, and resources available within the school and community consistent with the provisions of paragraph II. (b) Educating students in the importance of safe and healthy choices and coping strategies, recognizing risk factors and warning signs of mental disorders and suicide in oneself and others, and providing help-seeking strategies for oneself or others, including how to engage school resources and refer friends for help. (c) Identifying within the school the person or persons who serve as the point of contact when a student is believed to be at an elevated risk for suicide. (d) Making referral, crisis intervention, and other related information, both within the school and the community, available for students, parents, faculty, staff, and school volunteers. (e) Promoting cooperative efforts between school districts, chartered public schools, and community suicide prevention program personnel. II. Each school district and chartered public school shall, within 9 months of the effective date of this chapter, require all school faculty and staff, including contracted personnel, to receive at least 2 hours of training in suicide awareness and prevention annually. Such training may include, but not be limited to, youth suicide risk factors, warning signs, protective factors, response procedures, referrals, post-intervention, and resources available within the school and community. The training may be accomplished within the framework of existing in-service training programs or offered as part of ongoing professional development activities. School districts and chartered public schools shall allow the use of self-training materials in fulfilling the annual training requirements of this paragraph and each school district and chartered public school may determine how to both administer the annual training requirements and ensure that such training requirements are met. This paragraph may apply to all or some school volunteers in accordance with school district policy. III. School suicide prevention policies required under paragraph I and the training required under paragraph II shall be evidence-informed. IV. Nothing in this chapter shall require the inclusion of any specific curriculum, textbook, or other material designed to address the topic of suicide in any program or activity conducted by a school district or chartered public school.