House File 2350 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2350 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO HF 2176) 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 6102HV (2) 87 je/jh

H.F. 2350 Section 1. Section 256.7, Code 2018, 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 4 279.70. 5 (2) “Trauma-informed care” means the same as defined in 6 section 279.70. 7 b. Adopt rules to require school districts to adopt 8 protocols for suicide prevention and postvention and 9 trauma-informed care. The protocols shall be based on 10 nationally recognized best practices. 11 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 279.70 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 and onset of trauma symptoms, are supportive of 23 trauma recovery, and avoid further traumatization. 24 2. By July 1, 2019, the board of directors of a school 25 district shall integrate annual, evidence-based training at 26 least one hour in length on suicide prevention and postvention 27 for all school personnel who hold a license, certificate, 28 authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the 29 board of educational examiners and who have regular contact 30 with students in grades six through twelve into the school 31 district’s comprehensive school improvement plan submitted 32 pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 21. The content of 33 the training shall be based on nationally recognized best 34 practices. 35 -1- LSB 6102HV (2) 87 je/jh 1/ 3

H.F. 2350 3. By July 1, 2019, the board of directors of a 1 school district shall integrate annual, evidence-based, 2 evidence-supported training on trauma-informed care for 3 all school personnel who hold a license, certificate, 4 authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the board 5 of educational examiners and who have regular contact with 6 students in kindergarten through grade twelve into the school 7 district’s comprehensive school improvement plan submitted 8 pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 21. The content of 9 the training shall be based on nationally recognized best 10 practices. 11 Sec. 3. ADMINISTRATIVE RULES. The state board of education 12 shall submit a notice of intended action to the administrative 13 rules coordinator and the administrative code editor pursuant 14 to section 17A.4, subsection 1, not later than December 12, 15 2018, for the adoption of rules required by section 256.7, 16 subsection 33, as enacted by this Act. The board shall adopt 17 such rules not later than July 1, 2019. 18 Sec. 4. IMPLEMENTATION OF ACT. Section 25B.2, subsection 19 3, shall not apply to this Act. 20 EXPLANATION 21 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 22 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 23 This bill requires the board of directors of a school 24 district to integrate annual, evidence-based training at 25 least one hour in length on suicide prevention for all school 26 personnel who hold a license, certificate, authorization, or 27 statement of recognition issued by the board of educational 28 examiners and who have regular contact with students in grades 29 6 through 12 into the school district’s comprehensive school 30 improvement plan by July 1, 2019. The content of the training 31 shall be based on nationally recognized best practices. 32 The bill provides a similar requirement for training on 33 trauma-informed care for school personnel who have regular 34 contact with students in kindergarten through grade 12. 35 -2- LSB 6102HV (2) 87 je/jh 2/ 3

H.F. 2350 The bill requires the department of education to adopt rules 1 to require school districts to adopt protocols for suicide 2 prevention and postvention and trauma-informed care based on 3 nationally recognized best practices. The bill requires the 4 board to submit a notice of intended action to begin such 5 rulemaking no later than December 12, 2018, and to adopt such 6 rules not later than July 1, 2019. 7 The bill defines “trauma-informed care” as services that are 8 based on an understanding of the vulnerabilities and triggers 9 of individuals who have experienced trauma, recognize the role 10 trauma has played in the lives of those individuals, recognize 11 the presence and onset of trauma symptoms, are supportive of 12 trauma recovery, and avoid further traumatization. The bill 13 defines “postvention” as the provision of crisis intervention, 14 support, and assistance for those affected by a suicide or 15 suicide attempt to prevent further risk of suicide. 16 The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code 17 section 25B.3. The bill makes inapplicable Code section 25B.2, 18 subsection 3, which would relieve a political subdivision from 19 complying with a state mandate if funding for the cost of 20 the state mandate is not provided or specified. Therefore, 21 political subdivisions are required to comply with any state 22 mandate included in the bill. 23 -3- LSB 6102HV (2) 87 je/jh 3/ 3