I. This policy covers actions involving students that take place in the school, on school property, at school-sponsored functions and activities, on school buses or vehicles or at bus stops, and at school-sponsored out-of-school events where school staff are present. This policy applies to the entire school community.

The School Board is committed to protecting the health, safety and welfare of its students and school community. The Board recognizes that suicide is one of the leading causes of death for Florida’s youth. It is critical for families and community members to communicate with and provide information to school staff to identify students at risk of suicide.

II. Definitions. The following definitions shall apply to this policy:

A. “School-based mental health services provider” or “SBMHSP” means a school psychologist certified under Rule 6A-4.0311, F.A.C., a school social worker certified under Rule 6A-4.035, F.A.C., a school counselor certified under Rule 6A- 4.0181, F.A.C., or a mental health professional licensed under Chapter 490 or 491, Florida Statutes, who is employed or contracted by a district to provide mental health services in schools.

B. “Suicide risk assessment” means an assessment conducted by a school-based mental health services provider or other licensed mental health professional to determine the level of suicide risk and plan of action for a student expressing suicidal ideation or suicidal intent.

III. Training and Education.

A. Staff Training.

1. All School Based Mental Health Service Providers (SBMHSPs) shall be trained as Suicide Risk Assessors, annually prior to the students returning to school (staff to include, but not limited to: school counselors, school social workers, home school liaisons, and school psychologists).

2. Youth suicide prevention awareness is voluntary but made available on the District’s website under the Student Service tab. All such youth suicide prevention awareness training administered to District staff is approved by Florida’s Department of Education and shall satisfy the mandates outlined in Florida Statute 1012.583 and Florida Administrative Code Rule 6A-4.0010 and shall address common suicide myths; identify suicide risk and protective factors; include information regarding department-approved suicide risk assessment that is appropriate for use with school-aged students; describe mental health services that are available; and identify how to refer youth to appropriate mental health services. Such training must be at least two hours in length and include an interactive component conducted by a School Based Mental Health Services Provider. Opportunities for staff to complete two-hour continuing education programs of youth suicide awareness and prevention training are located on the district website Student Services Suicide Prevention.

3. Each school administrator shall work in collaboration with the District’s Student Support Services and Safety and Security departments to ensure that staff receives the Youth Mental Health First Aide Training, a trauma informed care professional learning experience teaching staff to identify students at risk of self-harm and suicide, consistent with the Florida Department of Education’s expectations of statutory compliance.

4. A District-approved one-page suicide prevention flyer shall be distributed to principals or their designee(s) to disseminate to all school staff prior to students returning to campus. This flyer shall also be posted on the school district website, located in the Student Services section under Suicide Prevention.

5. Annually the District and local mobile response teams shall coordinate with each other on the suicide screening assessment tool to be used to ensure they are using the same approved screening instrument.

B. Student Education. The District shall annually provide a minimum of five (5) hours of data-driven instruction to students in grades 6-12 related to civic and character education and life skills education through resiliency education using the health education standards adopted in Rule 6A-1.09401, F.A.C., Student Performance Standards. The instruction will advance each year through developmentally appropriate instruction and skill building and must address, at a minimum, the following topics:

1. Strategies specific to demonstrating resiliency through adversity, including the benefits of service to the community through volunteerism;

2. Strategies to develop healthy characteristics that reinforce positive core values and foster resiliency such as:

a. Empathy, perseverance, grit, gratitude and responsibility;

b. Critical thinking, problem solving and responsible decision-making;

c. Self-awareness and self-management;

d. Mentorship and citizenship; and

e. Honesty.

3. Recognition of signs and symptoms of mental health concerns;

4. Promotion of resiliency to empower youth to persevere and reverse the harmful stigma of mental health by reframing the approach from mental health education to resiliency education;

5. Strategies to support a peer, friend, or family member through adversity;

6. Prevention of suicide;

7. Prevention of the abuse of and addiction to alcohol, nicotine, and drugs; and

8. Awareness of local school and community resources and the process for accessing assistance.

IV. Suicide Prevention Procedures. All school district staff members shall be alert to a student who exhibits warning signs of self-harm or who threatens or attempts suicide. Any such warning signs or the report of such warning signs from another student or staff member shall be taken with the utmost seriousness and reported immediately to the Principal or designee.

A. In accordance with HB 899 (2022), the Superintendent shall designate a Mental Health Coordinator prior to July 1 of each calendar year who shall serve as the District’s primary point of contact regarding the District’s coordination, communication, and implementation of student mental health policies, procedures, responsibilities, and reporting, in accordance with the requirements enumerated in Florida Statute 1006.07(6).

B. Upon report of signs of self-harm, self-injury, or suicidal ideation, the School Based Mental Health Services Providers (SBMHSP) shall notify the parent/guardian of the received report. Verbal consent for activation of the Mobile Response Team (MRT) shall be discussed with the parent/guardian and obtained from the parent/guardian by the SBMHSP.

When the SBMHSP assesses the risk of suicide, the SBMHSP shall screen the student using Columbia Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) suicide risk assessment instrument or another Florida Department of Education-approved instrument. Only school-based mental health service providers (SBMHSPs) who have been trained in the use of approved instruments may give a suicide risk assessment to a student expressing suicidal ideation or suicidal intent. If a trained school-based mental health services provider is unavailable, the District must contact other certified or licensed mental health providers to evaluate the student for suicide risk, including the District’s mobile response team.

C. After de-escalation strategies have been implemented by the SBMHSP and consent is obtained by the parent/guardian, if further de- escalation support is required, the Mobile Response Team (MRT) shall be notified.

D. Before a principal or his or her designee contacts a law enforcement officer, regarding screening for involuntary examination pursuant to the Baker Act, he or she must verify that de-escalation strategies have been utilized and outreach to a Mobile Response Team (MRT) has been initiated unless the principal or the principal’s designee reasonably believes that any delay in removing the student will increase the likelihood of harm to the student or others. This requirement does not supersede the authority of a law enforcement officer to act pursuant to his/her statutory duties regarding the Baker Act.

E. When a suicide risk assessment results in the initiation of an involuntary examination for the Baker Act, the school’s principal, or his/her designee, is required to make a reasonable attempt to notify the student’s parent(s) before the student is removed from school, school transportation, or a school-sponsored activity, in accordance with the District’s suicide prevention procedures, including if a parent/guardian refuses examination of their child.

a. “A reasonable attempt to notify” means the exercise of reasonable diligence and care by the principal or the principal’s designee to make contact with the student’s parent, guardian, or other known emergency contact whom the student’s parent or guardian has authorized to receive notification of an involuntary examination.

b. At a minimum, the principal or the principal’s designee must take the following actions:

1. Use available methods of communication to contact the student’s parent, guardian, or other known emergency contact, including, but not limited to, telephone calls, text messages, e-mails, and voice mail messages following the decision to initiate an involuntary examination of the student.

2. Document the method and number of attempts made to contact the student’s parent, guardian, or other known emergency contact, and the outcome of each attempt.

c. A principal or his or her designee who successfully notifies any other known emergency contact may share only the information necessary to alert such contact that the parent or caregiver must be contacted. All such information must be in compliance with federal and state law.

d. The principal or the principal’s designee may delay the required parental notification following an involuntary examination pursuant to the Baker Act for no more than 24 hours after the student is removed if:

1. The principal or the principal’s designee deems the delay to be in the student’s best interest and a report has been submitted to the central abuse hotline, pursuant to Florida Statute 39.201, based upon knowledge or suspicion of abuse, abandonment, or neglect; or

2. The principal or principal’s designee has an objectively reasonable belief that such delay is necessary to avoid jeopardizing the health and safety of the student.

E. When a suicide risk assessment results in a change in related services or monitoring, a student’s parents/guardian must be notified on the same day, unless notification is withheld or delayed because the principal or the principal’s designee has an objectively reasonable belief that disclosure would result in abuse, abandonment, or neglect, as those terms are defined in Florida Statute 30.01.

F. Each School Based Mental Health Services Provider (SBMHSP) shall develop a Safety Plan for any student who has demonstrated self- harm behavior or suicidal ideation and shall refer the student to the School Wide Support Team to ensure that the student is receiving all necessary supports, services, and interventions.

G. Prior to returning to classes, any student who has received an Involuntary Examination shall attend and participate in a re-entry meeting with the school team and parent. During this time, safety plan is created and/or updated.