The full Idaho House will consider a bill that helps advance suicide prevention training in Idaho schools.
The House Education Committee on Tuesday unanimously approved the measure brought by Genesee Representative Caroline Troy that directs the State Board of Education to work with the Department of Health and Welfare and suicide experts to develop suicide awareness and prevention training material for local school districts. Troy, who serves on the Idaho Suicide Prevention Council, noted that Idaho typically ranks in the Top 10 nationally for per-capita suicide.
Between 2012 and 2016, 105 Idaho school kids took their own lives, including 27 younger than age 15.
The state recently implemented a peer-to-peer suicide awareness and prevention program called Sources of Strength. However, it’s only available in about two dozen school districts.
The bill directs each public school district to adopt policies to address such issues as suicide prevention, intervention, and counseling. (Lewiston Tribune)
