(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the social-emotional learning committee is created to promote and expand social-emotional learning. Social-emotional learning will help students build awareness and skills in managing emotions, setting goals, establishing relationships, and making responsible decisions that support success in school and life.

(2) At a minimum, the committee shall:

• (a) Develop and implement a statewide framework for social-emotional learning that is trauma-informed, culturally sustaining, and developmentally appropriate;

Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must create and publish on its web site a list of resources available for professional development of school district staff on the following topics: Social-emotional learning, trauma-informed practices, recognition and response to emotional or behavioral distress, consideration of adverse childhood experiences, mental health literacy, antibullying strategies, and culturally sustaining practices. The office of the superintendent of public instruction must include in the list the professional development opportunities and resources identified by the social-emotional learning committee created under RCW 28A.300.477.

(b) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, after establishing these relationships with the educational service districts, Forefront at the University of Washington must continue to meet with the educational service districts via videoconference on a monthly basis to answer questions that arise for the educational service districts, and to assess the feasibility of collaborating with the educational service districts to develop a multiyear, statewide rollout of a comprehensive school suicide prevention model involving regional trainings, on-site coaching, and cohorts of participating schools in each educational service district.

(c) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, Forefront at the University of Washington must work to develop public-private partnerships to support the rollout of a comprehensive school suicide prevention model across Washington’s middle and high schools.

(d) The comprehensive school suicide prevention model must consist of:

• (i) School-specific revisions to safe school plans required under RCW 28A.320.125, to include procedures for suicide prevention, intervention, assessment, referral, reentry, and intervention and recovery after a suicide attempt or death;
• (ii) Developing, within the school, capacity to train staff, teachers, parents, and students in how to recognize and support a student who may be struggling with behavioral health issues;
• (iii) Improved identification such as screening, and response systems such as family counseling, to support students who are at risk;
• (iv) Enhanced community-based linkages of support; and
• (v) School selection of appropriate curricula and programs to enhance student awareness of behavioral health issues to reduce stigma, and to promote resilience and coping skills.

The office of the superintendent of public instruction’s school safety center, established in RCW 28A.300.630, shall develop a model school district plan for recognition, initial screening, and response to emotional or behavioral distress in students, including but not limited to indicators of possible substance abuse, violence, and youth suicide. The model plan must incorporate research-based best practices, including practices and protocols used in schools and school districts in other states. The model plan must be posted by February 1, 2014, on the school safety center web site, along with relevant resources and information to support school districts in developing and implementing the plan required under RCW 28A.320.127.

As provided under subsections (2) and (3) of this section, individuals certified by the professional educator Standard board as a school nurse, school social worker, school psychologist, or school counselor must complete a training program on youth suicide screening and referral as a condition of certification. The training program must be at least three hours in length. The professional educator Standard board must adopt Standard for the minimum content of the training in consultation with the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the department of health. In developing the Standard, the board must consider training programs listed on the best practices registry of the American foundation for suicide prevention and the suicide prevention resource center.