SUICIDE AND DEPRESSION PROGRAMS

House Bill 4375

Sponsor:  Rep. Chris Ward

Committee:  Education

Complete to 3-20-06

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4375 AS INTRODUCED 2-23-05

House Bill 4375 would amend the Revised School Code (MCL 380.1171) to encourage the board of a school district, or the board of directors of a public school academy, to provide age-appropriate instruction for students, and professional development for school personnel, about the warning signs and risk factors for suicide and depression.  The instruction and professional development would have to be designed to achieve the following goals:

a)  to prevent both fatal and nonfatal suicide behaviors among youth;

b)  to increase students’ awareness of the warning signs and risks factors for suicide and depression; and,

c)  to improve access to appropriate prevention services for vulnerable youth groups.

Under the bill, a school board is encouraged to work with school personnel and local or state organizations and resources specializing in suicide prevention and awareness. 

Further, the Department of Education would be required to develop or select model programs and materials on suicide prevention and awareness that were appropriate for the purposes of the bill, and make those available to school districts and charter schools. 

The bill specifies that if a school district or charter school provided suicide prevention instruction, the board would be required to notify parents about the instruction (using the communication method the district normally used).

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Department of Education may incur costs in developing model programs and materials.  There also may be some additional costs to the local school districts or public school academies for instruction and professional development.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   J. Hunault

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Mary Ann Cleary

                                                                                                                           Bethany Wicksall

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.