(1) Each local school district shall adopt a policy on student suicide prevention. The policies shall be developed in consultation with school and community stakeholders, school-employed mental health professions, and suicide prevention experts, and shall, at a minimum, address procedures relating to suicide prevention, intervention and postvention. To assist districts in developing policies for student suicide prevention, the State Department of Education shall establish a model policy in consultation with the Mississippi Department of Mental Health for use by local school districts in accordance with this section.

(2) In the 2017-2018 school year, the State Department of Education shall require that local school districts conduct in-service training on suicide prevention education for all school district employees. The Mississippi Department of Mental Health will be responsible for development of the content of the training. This education may be accomplished through self-review of suitable suicide prevention materials.

(1) Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for such purpose, the State Department of Education may establish regional behavioral institutes for the purpose of providing state-of-the-art training to teachers and administrators in discipline and classroom management strategies and behavioral health screenings for students.

(2) Any school district may volunteer to participate in a regional behavioral institute. However, the State Department of Education may require a school district to participate in a regional behavioral institute if the department determines that such participation is in the best interest of the school district based upon:

• (a) Complaints received and determined by the department to be valid which relate to disciplinary problems in the school district;
• (b) Any visit to the school by representatives of the department which indicates disciplinary problems in the school district; or
• (c) A review of reports submitted by a school district to the department which indicates disciplinary problems in the school district.

(3) Effective with the 2019-2020 school year, the Mississippi Department of Mental Health shall develop a standardized Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) to be utilized by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health certified mental health providers and mental health facilities in providing mental health services to local school districts. The MOU shall include standardized behavioral health screening and referral protocols, procedures and forms to be utilized by the local school districts. Any standardized behavioral health screening and referral protocols shall only be performed on students with the approval of the student’s parent or legal guardian. The Mississippi Department of Mental Health shall provide online training for appropriate school personnel to conduct initial behavioral health screenings of students experiencing or exhibiting behavioral stress or at risk of harming themselves or others.