A. Preventive programs are those programs aimed at identifying and eliminating problems that impede student learning. B. Each LEA shall have a program on the prevention of crime and disruptive behavior. C. Each LEA may develop and implement, after submission to BESE for approval, a plan for the modification of approved course content and structure to produce interdisciplinary courses for purposes of enhancing dropout prevention programs. D. Teachers, school counselors, principals and certain other school administrators in public elementary and secondary schools shall receive two hours of annual in-service training in suicide prevention. The training shall address the following:

1. increasing awareness of risk factors, including, but not limited to the following: a. mental health and substance abuse conditions; b. childhood abuse, neglect, and trauma; c. potential causes of stress, such as bullying, harassment, and relationship problems; d. secondary trauma from a suicide or sensationalized or graphic accounts of suicide in media; and e. history of suicide attempts and related family history;
2. responding to suspicious behavior or warning signs exhibited by students;
3. responding to crisis situations in which a student is an imminent danger to himself;
4. policies and protocol for communication with parents, including specifications for circumstances in which parental notification is not in the best interest of the student;
5. counseling services available within the school for students and their families related to suicide prevention;
6. information concerning crisis intervention, suicide prevention, and mental health services in the community for students and their families and school employees;
7. community organizations and agencies for referral of students to health, mental health, substance abuse, and social support services, including development of at least one memorandum of understanding between the school system and such an entity in the community or region.

B. Training for School Personnel. Each LEA shall create a program to provide a minimum of four hours of training each year for new school employees who have contact with students, including bus drivers, with respect to bullying. The training shall be two hours each following year for all school employees who have contact with students and have received the four-hour training. The training shall specifically include the following:

1. how to recognize the behaviors defined as bullying;
2. how to identify students at each grade level who are most likely to become victims of bullying, while not excluding any student from protection from bullying;
3. how to use appropriate intervention and remediation techniques and procedures;
4. the procedures by which incidents of bullying are to be reported to school officials; and
5. information on suicide prevention, including the relationship between suicide risk factors and bullying.

B.  The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall prescribe such rules and regulations as are necessary and proper for a statewide youth suicide prevention plan in public elementary and secondary schools. Such rules and regulations shall be developed collaboratively with the Department of Health and Hospitals, Adolescent Health Initiative, and shall include the following:

(1)  Procedures for the development of programs in the city, parish, and other local public school systems.

(2)  Standard and policies for programs to offer services which may include but shall not be limited to the following:

• (a)  Individual, family, and group counseling services related to youth suicide prevention.

• (b)  Referral, crisis intervention, and information for students, parents, and school personnel.

• (c)  Training for school personnel and others responsible for counseling or supervising student activities.

B. (2)  The governing authority of each public elementary and secondary school shall:

• (a)  Conduct a review of the student code of conduct required by this Section and amend the code as may be necessary to assure that the policy prohibiting the bullying of a student by another student specifically addresses the behavior constituting bullying, the effect the behavior has on others, including bystanders, and the disciplinary and criminal consequences, and includes the definition of bullying as provided in Subsection C of this Section.

• (b)  Create a program to provide a minimum of four hours of training for new employees who have contact with students and two hours of training each year for all school employees who have contact with students, including bus operators, with respect to bullying. The training shall specifically include the following:

• (i)  How to recognize the behaviors defined as bullying in Subsection C of this Section.

• (ii)  How to identify students at each grade level in the employee’s school who are most likely to become victims of bullying, while not excluding any student from protection from bullying.

• (iii)  How to use appropriate intervention and remediation techniques and procedures.

• (iv)  The procedures by which incidents of bullying are to be reported to school officials.

• (v)  Information on suicide prevention, including the relationship between suicide risk factors and bullying. This content shall be based on information supported by peer-reviewed research conducted in compliance with accepted scientific methods and recognized as accurate by leading professional organizations and agencies with relevant experience.

B. (1) The board shall adopt rules to require that all public and approved nonpublic school teachers, school counselors, and principals and, as determined by the board, other school administrators for whom such training is deemed beneficial participate annually in at least two hours of in-service training in suicide prevention. Such rules shall include provisions permitting such training to be provided by self-review of suitable materials. (2) The training shall address the following: (a) Increasing awareness of risk factors including but not limited to the following: (i) Mental health and substance abuse conditions. (ii) Childhood abuse, neglect, and trauma. (iii) Potential causes of stress, such as bullying, harassment, and relationship problems. (iv) Secondary trauma from a suicide or sensationalized or graphic accounts of suicide in media. (v) History of suicide attempts and related family history. (b) How teachers should respond to suspicious behavior or warning signs exhibited by students. (c) How teachers should respond to a crisis situation in which a student is an imminent danger to himself. (d) Policies and protocol for communication with parents, including specifications for circumstances in which parental notification is not in the best interest of the student. (e) Counseling services available within the school for students and their families related to suicide prevention. (f) Dissemination of information concerning crisis intervention, suicide prevention, and mental health services in the community for students and their families and school employees. (g) Community organizations and agencies for referral of students to health, mental health, substance abuse, and social support services, including development of at least one memorandum of understanding between the school system and such an entity in the community or region.

Powerpoint training module on suicide prevention.