(a) Duty to establish. — No later than September 30, 2018, the committee shall establish criteria to be used when conducting school safety and security assessments that include the following: ... (3) A student assistance and behavioral health support assessment. The student assistance and behavioral health support assessment shall consist of an analysis of the school entity’s climate, including: (i) The availability of student assistance programs and behavioral health professionals to provide assistance to the school entity. (ii) A review of recommendations by behavioral and physical health professionals and consideration of their recommendations.

(a) Establishment. — The School Safety and Security Grant Program is established to make school entities within this Commonwealth safer places. (b) Functions generally. — The committee shall perform all functions related to the direct approval, disbursement and administration of grants under the program. (c) Diversity.— The committee shall ensure that grant funding under the program is geographically dispersed throughout this Commonwealth. (d) Supplement and not supplant. — Grant money allocated through the program shall be used to supplement and not supplant existing school entity spending on school safety and security. Nothing shall preclude a school entity from making an application in a subsequent year for the same purpose and amount awarded in a prior year. (e) Effect of revenue received. — Grant money received by a school entity under this section may not be included when calculating the amount to be paid to a charter school under section 1725-A. (f) Minimum allocation. — Each school district that makes a meritorious application as prescribed by the committee under subsection (j) shall receive a minimum grant allocation as follows:

• (1) A school district with an average daily membership greater than 3,900 shall receive a minimum grant allocation of $45,000.
• (2) A school district with an average daily membership greater than 2,100 but less than or equal to 3,900 shall receive a minimum grant allocation of $40,000.
• (3) A school district with an average daily membership greater than 1,200 but less than or equal to 2,100 shall receive a minimum grant allocation of $35,000.
• (4) A school district with an average daily membership of less than or equal to 1,200 shall receive a minimum grant allocation of $30,000. (g) Limitations.
• (1) Each school entity may make application annually and no school entity may receive an annual grant allocation that exceeds the minimum allocation in subsection (f) plus $450,000, except a school district of the first class, which may not receive an annual grant allocation that exceeds 7% of the funds available under the grant program, and a school district of the first class A, which may not receive a grant allocation that exceeds 3% of the funds available under the grant program.
• (2) Grant allocations awarded to a cyber charter school shall be limited to the safety and security needs of students at facilities where tutoring, testing, supplemental programs and services or instruction for students with disabilities occur. (g.1) Whole or partial awards. — The committee, in its discretion, may award in whole or in part a request made by a school entity in its grant application based upon the merit of a specific item requested. (g.2) Sustainability planning. — Sustainability planning is not a necessary component of an application under this section. (g.3) Confidentiality. — Information submitted by school entities as part of the grant application, the disclosure of which would be reasonably likely to result in a substantial and demonstrable risk of physical harm or the personal security of students or staff shall remain confidential and shall not be subject to the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law. The committee may release aggregate data at its discretion. (h) School Safety and Security Fund.
• (1) The School Safety and Security Fund is established as a special nonlapsing fund in the State Treasury.
• (2) All money deposited in the fund and the interest it accrues are appropriated to the commission on a continuing basis to award grants under this article.
• (3) No administrative action shall prevent the deposit of money into the fund in the fiscal year in which the money is received.
• (4) The fund may only be used for the grant program authorized under this article and no money in the fund may be transferred or diverted to any other purpose by administrative action.
• (5) Money available to the fund shall include appropriations and transfers from the General Fund, special funds, Federal funds and other sources of revenue made available to it.
• (6) Grants under this section shall be awarded no later than March 1, 2020, and each March 1 thereafter.
• (7) Not more than 12.5% of the fund may be allocated annually for grants under subsection (j)(22). (i) Community violence prevention programs.
• (1) Municipalities, institutions of higher education, community-based organizations and other entities approved by the committee are the only eligible applicants under subsection (j)(22).
• (2) (Reserved). (j) Specific purposes. — The committee shall provide grants to school entities for programs that address safety and security, including:
• (1) Safety and security assessments that meet the committee’s criteria.
• (2) Conflict resolution or dispute management, including restorative justice strategies.
• (3) School-wide positive behavior support that includes primary or universal, secondary and tertiary supports and interventions in school entities.
• (4) School-based diversion programs.
• (5) Peer helper programs.
• (6) Risk assessment, safety-related, violence prevention curricula, including dating violence curricula and restorative justice strategies.
• (7) Classroom management.
• (8) Student codes of conduct.
• (9) Training to undertake a districtwide assessment of risk factors that increase the likelihood of problem behaviors among students.
• (10) Development and implementation of research-based violence prevention programs that address risk factors to reduce incidents of problem behaviors among students, including, but not limited to, bullying.
• (11) Thorough, districtwide school safety, violence prevention, emergency preparedness and all-hazards plans, including revisions or updates to such plans and conducting emergency preparedness drills and related activities with local emergency responders.
• (12) Security planning and purchase of security-related technology, which may include metal detectors, protective lighting, specialty trained canines, surveillance equipment, special emergency communications equipment, automated external defibrillators, electronic locksets, deadbolts, trauma kits and theft control devices and training in the use of security-related technology. Security planning and purchase of security-related technology shall be based on safety needs identified by the school entity’s board of school directors.
• (13) Institution of student, staff and visitor identification systems, including criminal background check software.
• (14) Provision of specialized staff and student training programs, including training for Student Assistance Program team members in the referral of students at risk of violent behavior to appropriate community-based services and behavioral health services and training related to prevention and early intervention.
• (15) Counseling services for students.
• (16) A system for the management of student discipline, including misconduct and criminal offenses.
• (17) Staff training programs in the use of positive behavior supports, de-escalation techniques and appropriate responses to student behavior that may require immediate intervention.
• (18) Costs associated with the training and compensation of school resource officers and school police officers.
• (19) Costs associated with the training and compensation of certified guidance counselors, licensed professional counselors, licensed social workers, licensed clinical social workers and school psychologists.
• (20) Administration of evidence-based screenings for adverse childhood experiences that are proven to be determinants of physical, social and behavioral health and provide trauma-informed counseling services as necessary to students based upon the screening results.
• (21) Trauma-informed approaches to education, including:
• (i) Increasing student and school employee access to quality trauma support services and behavioral health care, including the following:
• (A) Hiring or contracting with certified guidance counselors, licensed professional counselors, licensed social workers, licensed clinical social workers, school psychologists and other professional health personnel to provide services to students and school employees.
• (B) Developing collaborative efforts between the school entity and behavioral health professionals to identify students in need of trauma support and to provide prevention, screening, referral and treatment services to students potentially in need of services.
• (ii) Programs providing:
• (A) Trauma-informed approaches to education in the curriculum, including training of school employees, school directors and behavioral health professionals to develop safe, stable and nurturing learning environments that prevent and mitigate the effects of trauma.
• (B) Services for children and their families, as appropriate, who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing trauma, including those who are low-income, homeless, involved in the child welfare system or involved in the juvenile justice system.
• (22) Programs designed to reduce community violence, including:
• (i) Increase access to quality trauma-informed support services and behavioral health care by linking the community with local trauma support and behavioral health systems.
• (ii) Provide health services and intervention strategies by coordinating the services provided by eligible applicants and coordinated care organizations, public health entities, nonprofit youth service providers and community-based organizations.
• (iii) Provide mentoring and other intervention models to children and their families who have experienced trauma or are at risk of experiencing trauma, including those who are low-income, homeless, in foster care, involved in the criminal justice system, unemployed, experiencing a mental illness or substance abuse disorder or not enrolled in or at risk of dropping out of an educational institution.
• (iv) Foster and promote communication between the school entity, community and law enforcement.
• (v) Any other program or model designed to reduce community violence and approved by the committee.
• (23) The implementation of Article XIII-E. (j.1) Prioritization of grants.
• (1) The committee may in its discretion utilize the information obtained from the most recent survey instrument completed by a school entity under section 1305-B and trends in applications from the prior year to prioritize the allocation of grants from among the specific purposes enumerated in subsection (j).
• (2) If the commission chooses to prioritize the allocation of grants, it shall provide guidance in the funding announcement detailing the specific purposes enumerated under subsection (j) which it intends to prioritize when making grant awards. (j.2) Training. — The committee shall conduct informational training for applicants outlining the grant priorities and completion of applications. (k) Coordination of grant distribution. — The department shall coordinate the distribution of grants under Article XIII-A with the committee to ensure the most effective use of resources. (l) Audits.
• (1) The commission may randomly audit and monitor grant recipients to ensure the appropriate use of grant funds and compliance with the provisions of subsection (d).
• (2) The Auditor General shall not perform audits related to school safety and security assessments, survey instruments and grant applications.

(c) Specific duties. — The school safety and security coordinator shall: … (2) Coordinate training and resources for students and school entity staff in matters relating to situational awareness, trauma-informed approaches, behavioral health awareness, suicide and bullying awareness, substance abuse awareness and emergency procedures and training drills, including fire, natural disaster, active shooter, hostage situation and bomb threat.

No later than August 31, 2019, the committee shall develop a model trauma-informed approach plan that shall be used by a school entity applying for a grant under section 1306-B(j)(21). The plan must include the following: (1) Designation of at least one individual who:

• (i) is assigned to the school;
• (ii) oversees the implementation of the plan, integrating the coordination of services and professional development into the school entity’s comprehensive plan; and
• (iii) serves as a member of a school’s student assistance program. (2) Coordination of services among:
• (i) the student and the student’s family;
• (ii) the school; and
• (iii) county-based services, community care organizations, public health entities, nonprofit youth service providers, community-based organizations, organizations that provide before or after-school care and other similar groups that are located in the community. (3) Indication of how coordinated services are provided based on a trauma-informed approach with an understanding, recognition and responsiveness to the effects of trauma on education, absenteeism and school completion, including the secondary impact of trauma on school employees. (4) Utilization of evidence-based or evidence-informed approaches that are tailored to the community to ensure that data is collected and the effectiveness of the trauma-informed approaches are determined. (5) Professional development and support for school staff which fosters a culture in the school entity and community that is informed about how to understand, recognize and respond to trauma and address the impact of trauma on students as a secondary impact on school employees.

(d) The board shall also have the authority and duty to: … (9.1) adopt policies encouraging the inclusion of trauma- informed approaches in professional education curriculum in all public and private institutions of higher education in this Commonwealth issuing degrees to individuals who may desire to teach in the schools of this Commonwealth

(a) Beginning in the 2018-2019 school year and in each school year thereafter, the following shall apply:

• (1) Each newly elected or appointed school director shall complete, during the first year of the school director’s first term, a training program made available by the Department of Education, in consultation with a Statewide organization representing school directors and a Statewide organization representing school business officials, pertaining to the skills and knowledge necessary to serve as a school director. The training program shall consist of a minimum of five (5) hours of instruction, including, at a minimum, information regarding the following:
• (i) Instruction and academic programs.
• (i.1) Best practices related to trauma-informed approaches, which shall comprise a minimum of one (1) hour of instruction.

(b) The department shall:

• (1) In consultation with a youth suicide prevention organization operating in this Commonwealth, develop a model youth suicide awareness and prevention policy which shall be consistent with subsection (c).
• (2) Compile, develop and post on its publicly accessible Internet website the following, which may include materials already publicly available:
• (i) Recommended guidelines and educational materials for the training required under subsection (a)(2).
• (ii) Recommended resources and age-appropriate educational materials on youth suicide awareness and prevention.
• (3) Develop a model youth suicide awareness and prevention curriculum and make such curriculum available to all school entities and, upon request, to nonpublic schools. A school entity may incorporate such curriculum into its existing instructional program pursuant to the school entity’s youth suicide awareness and prevention policy.

(c) The model policy developed by the department under subsection (b)(1) and any policy adopted by a school entity under subsection (a)(1) shall include the following:

• (1) A statement on youth suicide awareness and prevention.
• (2) Protocols for administering youth suicide awareness and prevention education to staff and students.

(3) Methods of prevention, including procedures for early identification and referral of students at risk of suicide.

(4) Methods of intervention, including procedures that address an emotional or mental health safety plan for students identified as being at increased risk of suicide.

(5) Methods of responding to a student or staff suicide or suicide attempt.

(6) Reporting procedures.

(7) Recommended resources on youth suicide awareness and prevention programs, including current contact information for such programs.