SB 52
Requires School Districts to Adopt Policies Requiring a Comprehensive District Plan on Student Suicide Prevention
This bill requires each school district to adopt a policy that requires a comprehensive district plan on student suicide prevention for students in grades K – 12.
These plans must include the following elements:
• Procedures that relate to suicide prevention, intervention, and activities that reduce risk of suicide attempts and promote healing after a death by suicide
• Identification of school personnel that are responsible for responding to reports of suicidal risk
• A procedure that someone can request a school district to review the actions that a school takes when responding to suicidal risk
• Methods to address the needs of groups at a higher risk of suicide attempts. These groups at a higher risk include youth who are grieving a death by suicide; youth with disabilities, mental health diagnoses, or substance use disorders; youth experiencing houselessness or out-of-home settings like foster care; and lesbian, gay, transgender, queer, or other minority gender identities and sexual orientation
• A description and materials for any trainings that will be provided to school employees. These trainings must include: when and how to refer youth and their families to appropriate mental health services; programs that can be completed through self-review of suitable suicide prevention materials; and any other requirement that is made by the State Board of Education through rules that have been based on consultations with subject matter expert organizations
• School districts may consult with other organizations or community members when developing these plans
• Plans must be written to ensure that school employees only act within their credentials or licenses
• Plans must be made available yearly to the community the school district is in and must be readily available at both the school district office and on their website
SB 485
Directs Oregon Health Authority to Collaborate with Certain Schools when Developing Communication Plans following a Suspected Suicide
This bill requires that the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) will create a communication plan with local mental health authorities (LMHAs) and local systems to improve notifications and information-sharing when a suspected death by suicide of young adults 24 years of age or younger.
Communication plans must address community suicide responses and postvention efforts to address loss and the potential of contagion.
OHA will work with the following groups in developing and implementing the plan:
• Public school districts
• Public universities
• Private post-secondary education institutions
• Any facility that provides services or resources to runaway or houseless youth
Within seven days of a suspected death by suicide of a young adult 24 years of age or younger happens, the LMHA in the area and any public school district, public university, or private post-secondary institution of education the young adult was attending at the time of their death will notify OHA of actions taken to support local entities and individuals that were affected by the death and to prevent the risk of contagion.
OHA will serve as a resource to LMHAs and any public school district, public university, or private post-secondary institution of education the young adult was attending at the time of their death
SB 707
Establishes the Youth Suicide Intervention and Prevention Advisory Committee
This bill amends HB 4124 by adding the following elements.
Youth Suicide Intervention and Prevention Advisory Committee is created to advise the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) on the development and administration of strategies to address suicide intervention and prevention for youth and young adults age 10 – 24.
The Director of OHA will appoint members of the advisory committee and provide staffing to support the members and committee.
The Director will ensure that this committee membership reflects the cultural, linguistic, geographic, and economic diversity of the state and membership must include at a mimimum:
• Suicide attempt survivors
• Loss survivors (those who have lost friends or family members to suicide)
• People younger than 21 years-of-age
• Representatives of state agencies. A list of example agencies can be found in the bill text
• Representatives of Oregon Indian Tribes
• Representatives of colleges and universities
• Medical and behavioral treatment providers
• Representatives of hospitals and health systems
• Representatives of coordinated care organizations (CCOs) and private insurers
• Suicide prevention specialists
• Representatives of members of the military and their families
Committee members that are not employed in full-time public service may be compensated for their services and may be reimbursed by OHA for their actual and necessary expenses that are accrued in their duties.
This full committee must meet at least once every three months.
The committee may recommend potential members for membership appointment.
The advisory committee will consult with the YSIPP Coordinator on updates to the YSIPP.
The YSIPP Coordinator will add recommendations for both administrative and legislative changes to address service gaps in youth suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention activities to their annual report to the Legislature
SB 918
Directs Local Mental Health Authorities Communication Regarding Suspected Deaths by Suicide for those 24 Years of Age or Younger
SB 561 is amended to include the following information.
If a local mental health authority (LMHA) receives a third-party notification of a suspected death by suicide of those 24 years of age or younger, the LMHA will notify the following local systems that had contact with the individual as appropriate:
• The principal or superintendent of the educational institution the individual attended
• The juvenile department
• Community developmental disabilities programs
• Local child welfare agencies
• Local substance use disorder programs, or
• Any other organization or person that was identified by the LMHA as necessary to receive notice to preserve public health
Notifications must contain the following information to allow the local systems to implement effective postvention efforts:
• The name of the individual that died by suicide
• The birth date of the individual that died by suicide
• The date of death of the individual that died by suicide
• Any other information that the LMHA determines is necessary to preserve public health and is not otherwise protected from public disclosure by state or federal law