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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | April 21, 2022 02:43 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Steven J. Santarsiero |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Safety and Violence Education (SAVE) Students Act |
| Experts say childhood depression and anxiety were on the rise for years, but the pandemic’s unrelenting stress and grief amplified the problems, particularly for those already experiencing mental health issues who were cut off from counselors and other school resources during distance learning. That is why I plan to introduce the SAVE Students Act, which would require schools to implement at least one hour, or a standard class period, per year of suicide prevention training, violence prevention training, and social inclusion training to students in grades six through twelve. In this training, school personnel will also learn how to identify the signs and signals of depression, suicide and self-injury in students, and when and how to refer youth and their families to appropriate mental health services for assessment within the school entity and the community. Research has proven that these types of programs effectively teach youth and adults how to prevent school violence, shootings, and other harmful acts. Students and educators learn how to identify at-risk behaviors and intervene to get help. These early-prevention measures empower everyone to keep our schools and communities safe. The effort to mandate this training has been advocated for by Sandy Hook Promise, a non-profit group based in Newtown, Connecticut, and led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Please join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation. |
Introduced as SB1263