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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 938 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 555
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Edward R. Philips
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to suicide prevention in schools.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Edward R. Philips8th Norfolk1/11/2023Sally P. Kerans13th Essex1/26/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 938 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 555
By Representative Philips of Sharon, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 555) of
Edward R. Philips and Sally P. Kerans that the Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education be authorized to offer two hours of evidence based in-service suicide awareness and
prevention training once every other year to certain employees. Education.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 4225 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to suicide prevention in schools.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following
2section:
3 Section 98. (a) The department of elementary and secondary education shall adopt rules
4to require in school health care providers and any holder of, or applicant for, an educator’s
5license in the commonwealth to receive at least 2 hours of evidence based in-service suicide
6awareness and prevention training once every other year. This training shall be provided within
7the framework of existing in-service training programs offered by the department or as part of
8required professional development activities. 2 of 2
9 (1) Staff members subject to the training under paragraph (a) initially hired during a
10school year in which the training is not required, shall be provided with suicide prevention and
11identification materials for review by the local district within thirty days of being hired.
12 (b) The department shall, in consultation with the department of public health, the
13department of mental health, and suicide prevention experts, develop a list of approved training
14materials to fulfill the requirements of this section. The approved training materials must:
15 (1) be evidence based; and
16 (2) demonstrated to be an effective or promising program.
17 (c) On or before December 31, 2022, a school of a school district or county office of
18education and a charter school shall be required to have at least one mental health professional,
19as defined, for every 400 pupils generally accessible to pupils on campus during school hours.