HB398 Alabama 2016 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Steve ClouseRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2016

Title

Health, suicide prevention, K-12, annual education training, Jason Flatt Act, established, Sec. 16-28B-8 am'd.

Summary

HB398 creates the Jason Flatt Act to require annual suicide awareness training for certificated public K-12 school staff and to establish school-based suicide prevention standards.

What This Bill Does

The bill requires every public K-12 school system to implement standards for suicide prevention, including counseling, referrals, training for staff, and student/community awareness efforts. It mandates annual suicide awareness and prevention training for all certificated school employees, which can be part of existing in-service or professional development. It creates an advisory committee to develop rules and approve training materials, and requires local districts to adopt a suicide prevention policy; it also provides liability protections and sets an effective date for the act.

Who It Affects

• Certificated public K-12 school personnel who must receive annual suicide awareness and prevention training and participate in suicide prevention activities.
• K-12 students in public school systems who will be affected by school-based suicide prevention policies, counseling services, and awareness programs.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 16-28B-8 to require school systems to implement standards for suicide prevention, including counseling, crisis referrals, training for staff, awareness of drug/alcohol connections, recognizing warning signs, providing information on community services, and cooperation with prevention programs.
• Requires annual training for all certificated school employees in suicide awareness and prevention, to be delivered through existing in-service training or required professional development.
• Establishes an advisory committee within the State Department of Education with representatives from several educational and mental health organizations to develop rules and approve training materials for the required training.
• Requires local school systems to adopt a policy on student suicide prevention and provides a model policy to assist districts in their development.
• Provides liability protections: implementing this section or any required training does not create a cause of action or a duty of care, subject to applicable laws.
• Effective date: the act becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Health