Bill > HR5482

This bill requires the Secretary of Education to create and implement a comprehensive rule for suicide prevention, postvention, and trauma-informed care in schools serving students in grades 6-12. The rule mandates that educational agencies develop evidence-based suicide prevention programs, including biennial staff training to identify student distress and suicide risk factors, establishing mental health referral systems, and conducting awareness campaigns to reduce mental health stigma. Schools must also create suicide postvention plans to support students, staff, and communities in the aftermath of a suicide, with guidelines for communication, memorialization, and grief counseling. Additionally, schools must adopt trauma-informed care practices, including biennial training for staff to understand and appropriately respond to student trauma. The Secretary of Education is tasked with providing technical assistance, monitoring compliance through periodic assessments and audits, and creating mechanisms for feedback and continuous improvement of these protocols. The bill aims to create a more supportive and proactive approach to student mental health by addressing suicide prevention and trauma support in educational settings.

Education

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5482/all-info