April 17, 2015
( ) Action Required
(X) Informational
MEMORANDUM NO. 024-15M SECONDARY EDUCATION & STUDENT SUPPORT
TO:
Educational Service District Superintendents
School District Superintendents
Building Principals
School Psychologist
School Social Workers
School Counselors
FROM:
Randy I. Dorn, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
RE:
Troubled Youth Planning Requirements Reminder
CONTACT:
Ron Hertel, Program Supervisor
Phone: 360-725-6050; Email: ron.hertel@k12.wa.us; TTY: 360-664-3631
During the 2013 legislative session, House Bill 1336 passed which directed districts to, if not already
accomplished, put in place a plan to address the needs of troubled youth including training, protocols,
and procedures by the end of the 2014–15 school year. The language below is taken directly from
that legislation.
(1) Beginning in the 2014–15 school year, each school district must adopt a plan for
recognition, initial screening, and response to emotional or behavioral distress in students,
including but not limited to indicators of possible substance abuse, violence, and youth suicide.
The school district must annually provide the plan to all district staff.
(2) At a minimum the plan must address:
(a) Identification of training opportunities in recognition, screening, and referral that
may be available for staff.
(b) How to use the expertise of district staff who have been trained in recognition,
screening, and referral.
(c) How staff should respond to suspicions, concerns, or warning signs of emotional or
behavioral distress in students.
(d) Identification and development of partnerships with community organizations and
agencies for referral of students to health, mental health, substance abuse, and social
support services, including development of at least one memorandum of understanding
between the district and such an entity in the community or region.
(e) Protocols and procedures for communication with parents.
(f) How staff should respond to a crisis situation where a student is in imminent danger
to himself or herself or others.
(g) How the district will provide support to students and staff after an incident of
violence or youth suicide.
(3) The plan under this section may be a separate plan or a component of another district plan
or policy, such as the harassment, intimidation, and bullying prevention policy under RCW
28A.300.2851 or the comprehensive safe school plan required under RCW 28A.320.125.
MEMORANDUM NO. 024-15 M SE&SS
Page 2
April 17, 2015
In an effort to support schools, the Office Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) contracted with
the Youth Suicide Prevention Program in Seattle to develop a model plan that schools could use to
build their individual plans. That model was placed on the OSPI website in February of 2014, and
some schools have been using it to enhance or build their individual plans.
That model plan can be found at:
http://www.k12.wa.us/safetycenter/YouthSuicide/SuicidePrevention.aspx. In addition to that model
plan, the link contains a significant amount of additional information on suicide prevention including a
publication from SAMHSA that has specific information regarding high schools, a model policy from
The Trevor Project, and information specific to the Native American population.
House Bill 1336 also mandates specific training. The suicide prevention requirement applies to school
nurses, school psychologists, and school social workers earning or renewing their second tier
certification beginning July 1, 2015. The requirement is three hours minimum of training in suicide
prevention from an approved curriculum. The approved suicide prevention curricula can be found at:
http://www.pesb.wa.gov/educators/professional-certificate/education-staff-associate/approved-suicideprevention-curricula
If you have any questions about either of these mandates or any other questions related to troubled
youth and/or suicide prevention for students, please feel free to contact Ron Hertel, Program
Supervisor, at 360-725-6050 or email Ron.Hertel@k12.wa.us. The agency TTY is 360-664-3631.
K–12 EDUCATION
Gil Mendoza Ed.D.
Deputy Superintendent
SECONDARY EDUCATION & STUDENT SUPPORT
Dan Newell
Assistant Superintendent
Mona Johnson, Director
Student Support
RD:rh
OSPI provides equal access to all programs and services without discrimination based on sex, race, creed, religion, color,
national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or
identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a
person with a disability. Questions and complaints of alleged discrimination should be directed to the Equity and Civil Rights
Director at 360-725-6162 or P.O. Box 47200 Olympia, WA 98504-7200.