An Act To Increase Suicide Awareness and Prevention in Maine Public Schools
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0609
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: GILBERT, MILLETT, AYOTTE, BEAR, BEAUDOIN, BEAVERS, BECK, BENNETT, BERRY, BRIGGS, CASSIDY, CHAPMAN, CHENETTE, CHIPMAN, COOPER, COTTA, DAUGHTRY, DAVIS, DICKERSON, DION, DORNEY, DUNPHY, DUPREY, EVANGELOS, EVES, FARNSWORTH, FOWLE, FREDETTE, GATTINE, GIDEON, GIFFORD, GOODE, GRAHAM, GRANT, HAMANN, HARLOW, HARVELL, HERBIG, HICKMAN, HUBBELL, JOHNSON, JONES, KAENRATH, KESCHL, KNIGHT, KORNFIELD, KRUGER, LAJOIE, LIBBY, LONGSTAFF, MAKER, MALABY, MARKS, MASON, MASTRACCIO, MONAGHAN-DERRIG, MOONEN, MORIARTY, MORRISON, NADEAU, NELSON, NEWENDYKE, NUTTING, PEOPLES, PLANTE, POWERS, PRINGLE, ROCHELO, RUSSELL, RYKERSON, SANBORN, SAUCIER, SAXTON, SCHNECK, SIROCKI, SOCTOMAH, STANLEY, STUCKEY, THERIAULT, TIMBERLAKE, TIPPING-SPITZ, TREAT, VILLA, VOLK, WELSH, WERTS, WILSON, WINCHENBACH, ALFOND, CAIN
Amends: 20-A MRSA §4502

Legislative Document 
No. 609 
H.P. 428 
House of Representatives, February 21, 2013 
An Act To Increase Suicide Awareness and Prevention in Maine 
Public Schools 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative GILBERT of Jay. 
Cosponsored by Senator MILLETT of Cumberland and 
Representatives: AYOTTE of Caswell, BEAR of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, BEAUDOIN of 
Biddeford, BEAVERS of South Berwick, BECK of Waterville, BENNETT of Kennebunk, BERRY of 
Bowdoinham, BRIGGS of Mexico, CASSIDY of Lubec, CHAPMAN of Brooksville, CHENETTE of Saco, 
CHIPMAN of Portland, COOPER of Yarmouth, COTTA of China, DAUGHTRY of Brunswick, DAVIS of 
Sangerville, DICKERSON of Rockland, DION of Portland, DORNEY of Norridgewock, DUNPHY of Embden, 
DUPREY of Hampden, EVANGELOS of Friendship, Speaker EVES of North Berwick, FARNSWORTH of 
Portland, FOWLE of Vassalboro, FREDETTE of Newport, GATTINE of Westbrook, GIDEON of Freeport, 
GIFFORD of Lincoln, GOODE of Bangor, GRAHAM of North Yarmouth, GRANT of Gardiner, HAMANN of 
South Portland, HARLOW of Portland, HARVELL of Farmington, HERBIG of Belfast, HICKMAN of Winthrop, 
HUBBELL of Bar Harbor, JOHNSON of Greenville, JONES of Freedom, KAENRATH of South Portland, 
KESCHL of Belgrade, KNIGHT of Livermore Falls, KORNFIELD of Bangor, KRUGER of Thomaston, LAJOIE 
of Lewiston, LIBBY of Lewiston, LONGSTAFF of Waterville, MacDONALD of Boothbay, MAKER of Calais, 
MALABY of Hancock, MARKS of Pittston, MASON of Topsham, MASTRACCIO of Sanford, McELWEE of 
Caribou, McLEAN of Gorham, MONAGHAN-DERRIG of Cape Elizabeth, MOONEN of Portland, MORIARTY 
of Cumberland, MORRISON of South Portland, NADEAU of Winslow, NELSON of Falmouth, NEWENDYKE 
of Litchfield, NUTTING of Oakland, PEOPLES of Westbrook, PLANTE of Berwick, POWERS of Naples, 
PRINGLE of Windham, ROCHELO of Biddeford, RUSSELL of Portland, RYKERSON of Kittery, SANBORN 
of Gorham, SAUCIER of Presque Isle, SAXTON of Harpswell, SCHNECK of Bangor, SIROCKI of 
Scarborough, SOCTOMAH of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, STANLEY of Medway, STUCKEY of Portland, 
THERIAULT of Madawaska, TIMBERLAKE of Turner, TIPPING-SPITZ of Orono, TREAT of Hallowell, 
VILLA of Harrison, VOLK of Scarborough, WELSH of Rockport, WERTS of Auburn, WILSON of Augusta, 
WINCHENBACH of Waldoboro, Senators: President ALFOND of Cumberland, CAIN of Penobscot, 
DUTREMBLE of York, GERZOFSKY of Cumberland, HASKELL of Cumberland, JACKSON of Aroostook, 
JOHNSON of Lincoln, LANGLEY of Hancock, PATRICK of Oxford, SAVIELLO of Franklin, TUTTLE of 
York, VALENTINO of York. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §4502, sub-§5, ¶O, as amended by PL 2007, c. 141, §9, is 
further amended to read: 
O.  Preparation of a written local policy and implementation of training for all 
guidance counselors and school personnel who administer reintegration planning 
pursuant to section 254, subsection 12, who participate in a reintegration team and 
who have access to confidential criminal justice information regarding juveniles 
pursuant to section 1055, subsection 12; and 
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §4502, sub-§5, ¶P, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 141, §10, is 
amended to read: 
P.  Provision of family outreach and support programs designed to improve parent-
school relations and parenting skills consistent with section 4252, subsection 8.; and 
Sec. 3.  20-A MRSA §4502, sub-§5, ¶Q is enacted to read: 
Q.  Suicide prevention awareness education for all school personnel and suicide 
prevention and intervention training for certain personnel. 
Sec. 4.  Rules.  The Department of Education shall adopt rules to implement 
standards for suicide prevention awareness education and for suicide prevention and 
intervention training as required by the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 4502, 
subsection 5, paragraph Q.  Rules adopted pursuant to this section are designated as 
routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.  Rules adopted 
pursuant to this section must include but are not limited to the following: 
1.  Suicide prevention awareness education for all school personnel.  A 
requirement, beginning in the 2014-2015 school year for high schools and in the 2015-
2016 school year for elementary and middle schools, of completion of a one to 2 hour in-
service training module in suicide prevention by all school personnel.  This requirement 
must apply to all school personnel by the commencement of the school year or for those 
employees who are newly hired within 6 months from the beginning of employment.  
Suicide prevention awareness eduction must be repeated every 5 years; and 
2.  Suicide prevention and intervention training per school administrative unit.  
A requirement, beginning in the 2014-2015 school year, of completion of a one-day 
course in suicide prevention and intervention training that will result in at least 2 school 
personnel trained in suicide prevention and intervention in each school administrative 
unit and in each island, charter and public school that is not in a school administrative 
unit.  Additional trained school personnel above the minimum of 2 are required if the 
number of students in the school administrative unit is above 1,000 as follows:  For 
1,001-1,500 students, one additional school personnel; for 1,501-2,000 students, 2 
additional school personnel; for 2,001-2,500 students, 3 additional school personnel; for 
2,501-3,000 students, 4 additional school personnel; for 3,001-3,500 students, 5 
additional school personnel; for 3,501-4,000 students, 6 additional school personnel; for 
4,001-4,500 students, 7 additional school personnel; for 4,501-5,000 students, 8 
additional school personnel; for 5,001-5,500 students, 9 additional school personnel; for 
5,501-6,000 students, 10 additional school personnel; for 6,001-6,500 students, 11 
additional school personnel; for 6,501-7,000 students, 12 additional school personnel; for 
7,001-7,500 students, 13 additional school personnel; and for 7,501 or more students, 14 
additional school personnel.   Suicide prevention and intervention training must be 
repeated every 5 years. 
Suicide prevention awareness education and suicide prevention and intervention 
training under this section must conform to national guidelines adopted by organizations 
that offer best practice, research-based training.  Suicide prevention awareness education 
must be made available on a publicly accessible website.  Training pursuant to this 
section must count toward satisfaction of professional development requirements for the 
Department of Education and licensure requirements for licensed professionals.  
SUMMARY 
This bill requires the Department of Education to adopt rules on standards for schools 
and school administrative units for suicide prevention education and training.  The 
training and education will include suicide prevention awareness education for all 
personnel and more advanced suicide prevention and intervention training for at least 2 
persons per school district.