(a) As of October 1, 2012, there is established within the Department, and shall be made available to all child development facilities, public schools, and public charter schools, a program that, at a minimum, provides participants with the tools needed to:

(1) Identify students who may have unmet behavioral health needs;

(2) Refer identified students to appropriate services for behavioral health screenings and behavioral health assessments; and

(3) Recognize the warning signs and risk factors for youth suicide and implement best practices for suicide prevention, suicide intervention, and suicide postvention.

(b)(1) Starting October 1, 2016, completion of the program shall be mandatory once every 2 years for all:

(A) Teachers in public schools and public charter schools;

(B) Principals in public schools and public charter schools; and

(C) Staff employed by child development facilities, who are subject to training or continuing education requirements pursuant to licensing regulations.

(2) In addition to the individuals described in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Mayor may determine through rulemaking other individuals who shall be required to complete the program.

(3) The Department may make the program available to other interested individuals.

(c) The Department shall keep a record of all participants who complete the program and shall provide the participants with written proof of completion.

(d) If so approved by the Office of the State Superintendent for Education, the program may count towards professional development credits.

(e) For the purposes of this section, the term:

(1) "Suicide intervention" means specific actions schools can take in response to student suicidal behavior, including:

(A) Student supervision;

(B) Notification of parents or guardians;

(C) Crisis-response protocols;

(D) When and how to request an immediate mental health assessment or emergency services; and

(E) School re-entry procedures following a student mental health crisis.

(2) "Suicide postvention" means planned support and interventions schools can implement after a suicide attempt or suicide death of a member of the school community that are designed to:

(A) Reduce the risk of suicide contagion;

(B) Provide support for affected students and school-based personnel;

(C) Address the social stigma associated with suicide; and

(D) Disseminate factual information about suicide.

(3) "Suicide prevention" means specific actions schools can take to recognize and reduce suicidal behavior, including:

(A) Identifying risk and protective factors for suicide and suicide warning signs;

(B) Establishing a process by which students are referred to a behavioral health provider for help;

(C) Making available school-based and community-based mental health supports;

(D) Providing the location of available online and community suicide prevention resources, including local crisis centers and hotlines; and

(E) Adopting policies and protocols regarding suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention, school safety, and crisis response.

(Dec. 18, 2001, D.C. Law 14-56, § 115b; as added June 7, 2012, D.C. Law 19-141, § 402(b), 59 DCR 3083; June 17, 2016, D.C. Law 21-120, § 2, 63 DCR 6856.)

Section 7013 of D.C. Law 22-33 repealed § 4 of D.C. Law 21-120. Therefore the amendment of this section by D.C. Law 21-120 has been implemented.

Applicability of D.C. Law 21-120: § 4 of D.C. Law 21-120 provided that the change made to this section by § 2 of D.C. Law 21-120 is subject to the inclusion of the law’s fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore that amendment has not been implemented.

Section 601 of D.C. Law 19-141 originally provided that the act shall apply upon the inclusion of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan. Section 601 of D.C. Law 19-141, as amended by D.C. Law 19-168, § 7004, provided that the applicability of only §§ 302(b)(1), 304, and 502(a) are contingent upon the inclusion of their fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan.

Section 7016 of D.C. Law 19-168 provided that Sections 7001, 7004, 7007, 7009, 7011, and 7015 of the act shall apply as of June 19, 2012.

Section 601 of D.C. Law 19-141, as amended by D.C. Law 20-61, § 4112, provided that §§ 302(b)(1)(A) and (C) and 304(b)(1)(D) of D.C. Law 19-141 shall apply to public charter schools upon the inclusion of their fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan, as certified by the Chief Financial Officer to the Budget Director of the Council in a certification published by the Council in the District of Columbia Register. Section 302(b)(1)(A) of D.C. Law 19-141 added § 38-203(i)(A-i); Section 302(b)(1)(C) of D.C. Law 19-141 added § 38-203(i)(B-i); and Section 304(b)(1)(D) of D.C. Law 19-141 added 5 DCMR § A2103(c)(6).

For temporary (90 days) repeal of § 4 of D.C. Law 21-120, see § 7013 of Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-167, Oct. 24, 2017, 64 DCR 10802).

For temporary (90 days) repeal of § 4 of D.C. Law 21-120, see § 7013 of Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-104, July 20, 2017, 64 DCR 7032).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section 601 of D.C. Law 19-141, see § 7004 of Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2012 (D.C. Act 19-383, June 19, 2012, 59 DCR 7764).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section 601 of D.C. Law 19-141, see § 7004 of Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2012 (D.C. Act 19-413, July 25, 2012, 59 DCR 9290).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of D.C. Law 19-141, § 601, see § 4112 of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-130, July 30, 2013, 60 DCR 11384, 20 DCSTAT 1827).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of D.C. Law 19-141, § 601, see § 4112 of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-204, October 17, 2013, 60 DCR 15341, 20 DCSTAT 2311).

Section 4111 of D.C. Law 20-61 provided that Subtitle K of Title IV of the act may be cited as the “South Capitol Street Memorial Amendment Act of 2013”.