AZ HB2256

School districts must adopt a safe schools plan beginning in the 2023-2024 school year addressing recognition, screening, and response to emotional or behavioral distress in students, including substance abuse, violence, and youth suicide indicators.

Safe schools plans must include staff training opportunities, utilize trained staff expertise, describe response protocols for distress signs, establish community partnerships with at least one memorandum of understanding, and include parent-student communication procedures.

Plans must describe crisis response procedures for students who are imminent danger to themselves or others and provide support to students and staff following violence or suicide incidents.

School districts must annually distribute the safe schools plan to all employees and obtain parental consent before screening or referring a student under the plan.

The superintendent of public instruction must develop and post a model safe schools plan with resources by February 1, 2021, and annually post statewide resources for youth affected by discrimination, bullying, gangs, domestic violence, and psychological trauma.