Suicide and depression awareness and prevention are important to our community and Board. Youth suicide impacts the safety of the school environment. It also affects the school community, diminishing the ability of surviving students to learn and the school’s ability to educate.
The Superintendent or designee shall develop, implement, and maintain a suicide and depression awareness and prevention program (Program) that advances the Board’s goals of increasing awareness and prevention of depression and suicide. This program must be consistent with the requirements of Ann Marie’s Law listed below; each listed requirement, 1-6, corresponds with the list of required policy components in the School Code Section 5/2-3.166(c)(2)-(7). The program shall include:
The Superintendent or designee shall attempt to develop a relationship between the District and the Illinois Suicide Prevention Strategic Planning Committee, the Illinois Suicide Prevention Coalition Alliance, and/or a community mental health agency. The purpose of the relationship is to discuss how to incorporate the goals and objectives of the Illinois Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan into the District’s Suicide Prevention and Depression Awareness Program.
The Board will review and update this policy pursuant to Ann Marie’s Law and Board policy 2:240, Board Policy Development.
The Superintendent shall inform each school district employee about this policy and ensure its posting on the District’s website. The Superintendent or designee shall inform employees and parents of this policy.
This policy shall be implemented in a manner consistent with state and federal laws, including the Children’s Mental Health Act of 2003, 405 ILCS 49/, Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act, 740 ILCS 110/, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 42 U.S.C. §12101 et seq.
The District, Board, and its staff are protected from liability by the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act. Services provided pursuant to this policy: (1) do not replace the care of a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches or a licensed medical practitioner or professional trained in suicide prevention, assessments and counseling services, (2) are strictly limited to the available resources within the District, (3) do not extend beyond the school day and/or school-sponsored events, and (4) cannot guarantee or ensure the safety of a student or the student body.
Adopted: February 24, 2020 Revised: April 25, 2022 Reviewed: April 24, 2023; February 26, 2024