Teachers will likely be required to take a two-hour course in suicide prevention as the Texas Senate passed the Suicide Awareness and Prevention Course (Senate Bill 1169) last week. The bill is expected to pass the Texas House of Representatives before June 1.

New teachers would take the mandatory course during orientation, while existing teachers would take the course on a schedule to be created by TEA. Online courses will be an option, and details will be forthcoming.

Just how big of a problem is suicide in our Texas public school youth?

The bill’s author, Texas Senator Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels filed the bill over concern that suicide is the second-leading cause of death in Texas among older teens, college age youth and young adults 15-34 and the third case of death among young teens ages 10-14.

“No matter where we live or what we do every day, each us has a role in preventing suicide. Our actions can make a difference…We have no time to waste.” – 2012 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention

As a call to action before the bill is set into motion, there are lots of resources available to Texas educators to help prevent suicide among our students.

Here are several resources:

Click to access K12_STW_Page.pdf

http://www.texassuicideprevention.org

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