Establishing an Iowa center for suicide prevention in the department of education and making an appropriation

The department may employ personnel necessary to carry out the duties of the center. The bill provides that the center has the initial responsibility of supporting schools with implementation of suicide prevention programs and development of trauma-informed learning environments, including adaptation of existing evidence-based training on suicide prevention and postvention and the identification of adverse childhood experiences and strategies to mitigate toxic stress response for school personnel and development of evidence-based model protocols to assist schools in suicide prevention and postvention and the identification of adverse childhood experiences and strategies to mitigate toxic stress response. The bill also provides long-term responsibilities of the center, including adapting, reviewing, and improving evidence-based training on suicide prevention and postvention and the identification of adverse childhood experiences and strategies to mitigate toxic stress response on an ongoing basis and supporting efforts by schools to provide students with resources relating to suicide prevention and postvention and the identification of adverse childhood experiences and strategies to mitigate toxic stress response. The bill appropriates $500,000 from the general fund of the state to the department for fiscal year 2019-2020 for the establishment and administration of the center. The bill defines “adverse childhood experience” as a potentially traumatic event occurring in childhood that can have negative, lasting effects on an individual’s health and well-being. The bill defines “postvention” as the provision of crisis intervention, support, and assistance for those affected by a suicide or suicide attempt to prevent further risk of suicide.