SLS 21RS-1116 ORIGINAL
2021 Regular Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 50
BY SENATOR FIELDS
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. Requests the state Department of Education to identify
providers of violence and suicide prevention training that is available at no or low cost.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To urge and request the state Department of Education to identify no cost and low cost
3 evidence-based training providers for students regarding social inclusion, violence
4 prevention, and suicide prevention, and to provide a report of its findings to the
5 Senate Committee on Education and the House Committee on Education no later
6 than sixty days prior to the beginning of the 2022 Regular Session of the Legislature.
7 WHEREAS, the safety of young people and maintaining safe school environments
8 is of primary importance to Louisiana and its citizens; and
9 WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Youth
10 Risk Behavior Survey, 12.4% of Louisiana students surveyed reported being threatened or
11 injured on school property with a weapon, 19.3% were bullied on school property, 15% were
12 cyber-bullied, 10.6% reported being involved in a physical fight on school property, and
13 15% reported physical dating violence; and
14 WHEREAS, Louisiana's suicide rate is higher than the national average; and
15 WHEREAS, suicide is the leading cause of violence-related death for Louisiana
16 youth ages 10 to 14, and the second leading cause thereafter; and
17 WHEREAS, in the majority of instances, students display warning signs or signals
18 before taking harmful action; and
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1 WHEREAS, reporting these signals ahead of time and to the appropriate entity can
2 prevent violence and save lives; and
3 WHEREAS, the legislature acknowledges the importance of reporting youth violence
4 in R.S. 17:416.13 relative to recognition and reporting of bullying, and R. S. 17:410, relative
5 to the recognition and reporting of threats to safety in schools; and
6 WHEREAS, the legislature currently requires in-service training regarding violence
7 prevention and suicide prevention for teachers, administrators, and other staff in R.S.
8 17:437.1, but has no requirements to instruct students; and
9 WHEREAS, peer intervention training is a national best practice that is critically
10 important to social inclusion and violence prevention; and
11 WHEREAS, using evidence-based practices is fundamental to the effectiveness of
12 educational training.
13 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
14 urge and request the state Department of Education to identify no cost and low cost
15 evidence-based training providers for students regarding social inclusion, violence
16 prevention, and suicide prevention.
17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report shall include information from school
18 districts on currently used training providers and their capabilities.
19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report shall include considerations of the
20 evidence-based principles used by the identified providers.
21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department shall also identify public and
22 private grant funding opportunities to provide further training.
23 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department shall solicit the input,
24 recommendations, and advice of the following:
25 (1) The chairperson of the Senate Committee on Education, or his designee.
26 (2) The chairperson of the House Committee on Education, or his designee.
27 (3) The president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, or his designee.
28 (4) The executive director of the Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana, or
29 his designee.
30 (5) The president of the Louisiana Association of Educators, or his designee.
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1 (6) The executive director of the Louisiana School Boards Association, or his
2 designee.
3 (7) The executive director of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents,
4 or his designee.
5 (8) The president of the Louisiana chapter of the National Association on Mental
6 Illness, or his designee.
7 (9) Other agencies, individuals, or organizations engaged in youth violence
8 prevention and suicide prevention work, as considered relevant by the department.
9 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department shall submit a written report of
10 its findings to the Senate Committee on Education and the House Committee on Education
11 no later than sixty days prior to the beginning of the 2022 Regular Session of the Legislature.
12 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
13 state superintendent of education.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Ann S. Brown.
DIGEST
SCR 50 Original 2021 Regular Session Fields
Requests the state Department of Education to identify no and low cost providers of violence
and suicide prevention training for students.
Requires a report of the findings be submitted to the Senate and House committees on
education no later than 60 days prior to the 2022 Regular Session.
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