Bill > H0907

This bill mandates that the Florida Department of Education (DOE) integrate two hours of training on youth suicide awareness and prevention into the ongoing professional development, known as continuing education or inservice training, for teachers and other instructional staff in elementary, middle, and high schools, starting with the 2016-2017 school year. The DOE will also be responsible for creating a list of approved training materials, which must cover how to identify and refer students and their families to appropriate mental health services, and can include materials already used by school districts or self-study programs. Importantly, this training will be part of the existing required professional development hours and will not increase the total number of hours teachers need to complete. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that no legal action can be taken against individuals or entities for any damages resulting from the implementation of this law or the training itself, unless there was intentional or reckless misconduct, and it does not create any new legal responsibilities or liabilities. The State Board of Education may establish rules to help put this into effect.