HB 398 Summary

• Establishes the Jason Flatt Act to address suicide prevention in Alabama K-12 public schools and require annual suicide awareness and prevention training for all certificated school employees.

• Requires school systems to implement comprehensive suicide prevention programs including counseling services, crisis intervention, student education on warning signs, and strategies to support suicide survivors.

• Mandates annual training for certificated school employees in suicide awareness and prevention, which may be provided through existing inservice training or professional development programs.

• Creates a State Department of Education advisory committee with representatives from school superintendents, school leaders, education associations, and mental health organizations to develop training rules and approve training materials.

• Requires each local school system to adopt a suicide prevention policy with assistance from a model policy established by the department and advisory committee; provides that persons involved in implementing this section are subject to Alabama's governmental immunity law.