Bill > HB2496

This bill aims to strengthen school district plans for recognizing, screening, and responding to emotional or behavioral distress in students. It requires school districts to adopt a plan that addresses staff training, community partnerships, communication with parents, crisis response, and support after incidents of violence or suicide. The bill also directs the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop an online training module for school staff, and requires educational service districts to develop the capacity to offer training on youth suicide screening and referral, as well as emotional or behavioral distress recognition and response. The bill also involves Forefront at the University of Washington in providing training and support to develop a comprehensive school suicide prevention model.