MN SF4165

Authorizes the Commissioner of Health to award grants to school districts, charter schools, contract alternative schools, and nonprofit organizations for peer-to-peer suicide prevention programs targeting students in grades 9-12

Funded programs must be research-based, with trained high school students serving as peer mentors under qualified adult supervision to engage in supportive conversations, identify warning signs of mental health crises, and refer peers to trusted adults

Training programs must cover recognizing signs of suicide risk, active listening skills, and connecting peers with trusted adults, following standards established by the commissioner

Grant recipients may collaborate with other schools, nonprofit organizations, and community partners to develop and implement prevention or training programs

Amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 145.56, adding these peer-to-peer programs to the existing community-based suicide prevention grant program framework