H-0507.2                  _______________________________________________

                                                      HOUSE BILL 1470

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State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Representatives Wood, Brumsickle, Mielke, Johanson, Schmidt, Jones, Zellinsky, J. Kohl, Miller, R. Johnson, Kessler, Brough, Romero, Scott, R. Meyers, Quall, G. Cole, Carlson, Wineberry and Anderson

Read first time 01/29/93.  Referred to Committee on Appropriations.

Creating a youth suicide prevention program.

          AN ACT Relating to suicide prevention; creating new sections; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that reported suicide is the second leading cause of death for fifteen to twenty-four year olds.  The rate of reported suicide for fifteen to twenty-four year olds has quadrupled from 1950 to 1988.  There is a clear need for a youth suicide prevention program in Washington state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  The superintendent of public instruction shall develop a youth suicide prevention program for use in the public schools.  The program shall include suicide awareness training for all certificated personnel in the schools and include the awareness training in the basic health curriculum for students.  In addition, basic suicide awareness information on warning signs and referral resources shall be distributed to parents.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  The sum of forty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1995, from the general fund to the office of the superintendent of public instruction for the purposes of developing a youth suicide prevention program for use in the public schools.

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