WYOMING: Three Years After Law Passes, Suicide Prevention Training in Schools Receives Favorable Response
May 19, 2017
Since the passage of a 2014 law, Wyoming school districts have provided regular training in suicide prevention to education staff. The Jason Flatt Act, which has been passed in similar forms in a dozen other states, requires that teachers and school administrators receive eight hours of training every four years using materials approved by the state Suicide Prevention Review Team. The curriculum includes information on how to identify and assist students at risk, such as recognizing warning signs and initiating conversations. While the measure lays out the minimum level of training required, some school districts have exceeded its requirements. Natrona County, for example, provides training to all of its school district employees. According to spokesman Allen Bruggman, the district wants to ensure that all staff have the skills to identify “a student in distress.”
Spark Extra! Learn more about suicide prevention in Wyoming and the Jason Flatt Act.