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WHAT IS ACT 7 1?

Act 71 was passed in 2014 a House Bill 1559. The law requires every school district in Pennsylvania to:

  1. Adopt a set of policies and procedures for suicide prevention in their district and post this policy on the school website. Act 71 outlines what is required within this policy.
  2. Train all educators in grades 6-12 in suicide prevention for a period of 4 hours every 5 years.

Additionally, the law requires that student education be included in the school’s suicide prevention policy. The full legislation passed is available below.

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ACT 71 POLICY WEBINAR

This hour-long webinar, delivered by presenters from across the Commonwealth, informs school districts on best practices for creating and/or updating suicide prevention policy. Click here to view the slides and click here for a document with definitions and nomenclature.

Where to Find Trainings for Educators

While Act 71 required educators in grades 6-12 to receive 4 hours of training on suicide prevention every 5 years, it does not state how this will occur. Each school district is ultimately responsible for their own compliance. Further, Prevent Suicide PA highly recommends that school districts avoid providing all 4 hours of training in the first year and then avoid the topic until 5 years later. Everything we know about learning, as well as data on the effectiveness of suicide prevention training programs, suggest that this approach is ineffective. We suggest schools consider a model whereby educators and other school staff are trained for at least one hour annually. A second model to consider is two hours every other year. Either way, the school district would be compliant with Act 71.

Each school district is responsible for monitoring their own compliance with Act 71. They are responsible to submit a plan as to how they will address suicide prevention in their annual Professional Development Plan submitted to PDE.

It should be reminded to school districts that they are responsible for issuing Act 48 (continuing education) credits to their staff. Therefore, if any of the recommended trainings offered here or on any other reputable site are deemed appropriate by the school district, then that school district has the authority to offer Act 48 credits for that learning module.

Prevent Suicide PA Online Learning Center

Click Here

PDE Suggested Trainings

Click Here

POSTVENTION RESOURCES

The following resources include guidance for schools and their community partners on postvention, particularly following a youth suicide

01. Postvention Manual

This manual, developed by the STAR-Center at the University of Pittsburgh, is intended to guide schools and communities in developing their own postvention (i.e., services offered in an aftermath of a suicide or tragedy) policies and procedures

Access Here

02. Adapted Postvention Considerations for Schools

This resource, developed by the Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention Grant, aims to provide guidance on school postvention in the midst of physical distancing, virtual operations, and closures due to COVID-19.

Access Here

03. After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools (2nd Edition)

This resource, developed by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, is a toolkit on how schools and communities can respond in the immediate aftermath of a suicide death of a student.

Access Here

04. U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Rocky Mountain MIRECC for Suicide Prevention – Postvention Practices for Schools Podcast

In this podcast, the presenters discuss considerations for developing and implementing a suicide postvention plan to assist students, teachers, administrators, and the surrounding community.

Access Here

05. A Manager’s Guide to Suicide Postvention in the Workplace

This guide provides workplace leaders with clear action steps for suicide postvention, including immediate, short-term, and long-term responses to help employees cope with the aftermath of the traumatic event.

Access Here