SLS 14RS-2189 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2014
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 83
BY SENATOR NEVERS
POSTSECONDARY ED. Requests the management boards of Louisiana's public colleges
and universities consider including in certain schools disciplines and degree programs,
suicide assessment, and prevention training that meet the Suicide Prevention Resource
Center best practices standards.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural2
and Mechanical College, the Board of Supervisors of Southern University and3
Agricultural and Mechanical College, the Board of Supervisors for the University of4
Louisiana System, and the Board of Supervisors of Community and Technical5
Colleges consider incorporating and including, where possible, in their schools6
disciplines and degree programs, particularly in those programs related to physical7
and behavioral health, education and criminal justice, suicide assessment,8
intervention, treatment, and management training that meets the Suicide Prevention9
Resource Center best practices standards.10
WHEREAS, suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States of11
America; and 12
WHEREAS, suicide kills more people in this country each year than car accidents;13
and 14
WHEREAS, in 2012, twelve out of every one hundred thousand people in Louisiana15
committed suicide; and16
WHEREAS, early detection and competent care in the treatment of suicidal thoughts17
can save lives; and18 SCR NO. 83
SLS 14RS-2189 ORIGINAL
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WHEREAS, in 2005, a study conducted in the state of Georgia demonstrated that a1
group of mental health professionals without best practices suicide prevention training2
demonstrated a nine-percent group average competency rate in suicide assessment and3
intervention, and, after only a minimal number of hours of such empirically supported4
training, the group's average competency rate in suicide assessment and intervention rose to5
eighty-nine percent; and 6
WHEREAS, Louisiana's Department of Health and Hospitals is currently making7
available to many state agency personnel best practices, empirically supported training in8
suicide assessment, intervention, treatment, and management; and 9
WHEREAS, many evidence-based, successful suicide prevention training programs10
are available online and otherwise at minimal cost through organizations such as the11
nationally recognized Suicide Prevention Resource Center and the American Foundation for12
Suicide Prevention; and13
WHEREAS, not only Louisiana's medical professionals, but also other professions14
such as educators and law enforcement and other citizen groups, such as students, could15
benefit from such suicide assessment, intervention, treatment and management training. 16
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby17
urge and request the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural18
and Mechanical College, the Board of Supervisors of Southern University and Agricultural19
and Mechanical College, the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System,20
and the Board of Supervisors of Community and Technical Colleges consider incorporating21
and including, where possible, in their schools disciplines and degree programs, particularly22
in those programs related to physical and behavioral health, education and criminal justice,23
suicide assessment, intervention, treatment, and management training that meets the Suicide24
Prevention Resource Center best practices standards.25
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the26
president of the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and27
Mechanical College, the Board of Supervisors of Southern University and Agricultural and28
Mechanical College, the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System, and29
the Board of Supervisors of Community and Technical Colleges.30 SCR NO. 83
SLS 14RS-2189 ORIGINAL
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The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Julie J. Baxter.
DIGEST
Nevers SCR No. 83
Requests the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and
Mechanical College, the Board of Supervisors of Southern University and Agricultural and
Mechanical College, the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System, and
the Board of Supervisors of Community and Technical Colleges consider incorporating and
including, where possible, in their schools disciplines and degree programs, particularly in
those programs related to physical and behavioral health, education and criminal justice,
suicide assessment, intervention, treatment, and management training that meets the Suicide
Prevention Resource Center best practices standards.