House File 2230 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2230 BY HIGHFILL , NUNN , COWNIE , and KOESTER A BILL FOR An Act requiring school employee training and protocols 1 relating to suicide prevention and trauma-informed care. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5631YH (4) 86 je/sc

H.F. 2230 Section 1. Section 256.7, Code 2016, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 33. a. For purposes of this subsection: 3 (1) “Postvention” means the same as defined in section 4 280.30. 5 (2) “Trauma-informed care” means the same as defined in 6 section 280.30. 7 b. By July 1, 2017, adopt rules to require school districts 8 to adopt protocols for suicide prevention and postvention 9 and trauma-informed care. The protocols shall be based on 10 nationally recognized best practices. 11 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 280.30 Suicide prevention and 12 trauma-informed care training. 13 1. For purposes of this section, unless the context 14 otherwise requires: 15 a. “Postvention” means the provision of crisis intervention, 16 support, and assistance for those affected by a suicide or 17 suicide attempt to prevent further risk of suicide. 18 b. “Trauma-informed care” means services that are based 19 on an understanding of the vulnerabilities and triggers of 20 individuals who have experienced trauma, recognize the role 21 trauma has played in the lives of those individuals, recognize 22 the presence of trauma symptoms and their onset, are supportive 23 of trauma recovery, and avoid further traumatization. 24 2. By July 1, 2017, the board of directors of a school 25 district shall integrate biennial, evidence-based training on 26 suicide prevention and postvention for all school personnel 27 who hold a license, certificate, authorization, or statement 28 of recognition issued by the board of educational examiners 29 and who have regular contact with students in grades six 30 through twelve into the school district’s comprehensive 31 school improvement plan submitted pursuant to section 256.7, 32 subsection 21. The content of the training shall be based on 33 nationally recognized best practices. 34 3. By July 1, 2017, the board of directors of a school 35 -1- LSB 5631YH (4) 86 je/sc 1/ 3

H.F. 2230 district shall integrate biennial, evidence-based training 1 on trauma-informed care for all school personnel who hold 2 a license, certificate, authorization, or statement of 3 recognition issued by the board of educational examiners 4 and who have regular contact with students in kindergarten 5 through grade twelve into the school district’s comprehensive 6 school improvement plan submitted pursuant to section 256.7, 7 subsection 21. The content of the training shall be based on 8 nationally recognized best practices. 9 Sec. 3. IMPLEMENTATION OF ACT. Section 25B.2, subsection 10 3, shall not apply to this Act. 11 EXPLANATION 12 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 13 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 14 This bill requires the board of directors of a school 15 district to integrate biennial, evidence-based training on 16 suicide prevention for all school personnel who hold a license, 17 certificate, authorization, or statement of recognition 18 issued by the board of educational examiners and who have 19 regular contact with students in grades 6 through 12 into the 20 school district’s comprehensive school improvement plan by 21 July 1, 2017. The content of the training shall be based on 22 nationally recognized best practices. The bill provides a 23 similar requirement for training on trauma-informed care for 24 school personnel who have regular contact with students in 25 kindergarten through grade 12. 26 The bill requires the department of education to adopt rules 27 by July 1, 2017, to require school districts to adopt protocols 28 for suicide prevention and postvention and trauma-informed care 29 based on nationally recognized best practices. 30 The bill defines “trauma-informed care” as services that are 31 based on an understanding of the vulnerabilities and triggers 32 of individuals who have experienced trauma, recognize the role 33 trauma has played in the lives of those individuals, recognize 34 the presence of trauma symptoms and their onset, are supportive 35 -2- LSB 5631YH (4) 86 je/sc 2/ 3

H.F. 2230 of trauma recovery, and avoid further traumatization. The bill 1 defines “postvention” as the provision of crisis intervention, 2 support, and assistance for those affected by a suicide or 3 suicide attempt to prevent further risk of suicide. 4 The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code 5 section 25B.3. The bill makes inapplicable Code section 25B.2, 6 subsection 3, which would relieve a political subdivision from 7 complying with a state mandate if funding for the cost of 8 the state mandate is not provided or specified. Therefore, 9 political subdivisions are required to comply with any state 10 mandate included in the bill. 11 -3- LSB 5631YH (4) 86 je/sc 3/ 3