§ 33-136 — SUICIDE PREVENTION IN SCHOOLS

(1) The state board of education shall adopt rules supporting suicide awareness and prevention training each year for public school personnel. This training may be provided within the framework of existing in-service training programs offered by the state board of education and the state department of education or as part of professional development activities.
(2)(a) The state board of education and state department of education shall, in consultation with the state department of health and welfare, education and health care stakeholders, and suicide prevention experts, develop a list of approved training materials to fulfill the requirements of this section.
(b) Approved materials 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.
(c) Approved materials may include programs that can be completed through self-review of suitable suicide prevention materials.
(3)(a) Each public school district shall adopt a policy on student suicide prevention. Such policy shall, at a minimum, address procedures relating to suicide prevention, intervention and postvention. As used in this paragraph, "postvention" means counseling or other social care given to students after another student’s suicide or attempted suicide.
(b) To assist school districts in developing policies for student suicide prevention, the state department of education 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 section.
(4)(a) 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 required by this section, or lack thereof.
(b) The training required by the provisions of this section, or lack thereof, shall not be construed to impose any specific duty of care.
(c) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to conflict with the provisions of section 33-512B, Idaho Code.

Legislative History

[33-136, added 2018, ch. 263, sec. 1, p. 629.]