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Bill would reduce suicide prevention training in Kansas schools

Posted at 8:04 AM, Feb 12, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-12 10:28:01-05

JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. — The Kansas legislature is considering scaling back suicide training requirements for staff at public schools.

In 2016 the Jason Flatt Act was passed requiring "all school employees" to receive at least one hour of suicide prevention training. A change to the act is currently being debated in a senate committee.

The change would not make it mandatory for all employees. Some in support of the bill say every staff member does not come in contact with students and school districts should be able to make their own rules. 

"I was outraged, I was absolutely outraged, in the last two weeks, in the span of five days we’ve had 7 suicides in Johnson County," said Jennifer Levinson with Speak Up, a suicide prevention group. 

Most recently in Johnson County, two students at Shawnee Mission Northwest killed themselves. 

"I don’t think that now is the time to scale it back. There are too many suicides that have happened in just a few weeks that prove that one hour isn’t enough," said Meena Allota, a college student. 

Allota went to the senate committee hearing last week to voice her opinion on the proposed change. 

"This is one of those things that doesn’t go away unless it is talked about and people know what to look for and how to change it," said Allota.

"We don’t know who kids connect with. We don’t know that it's not the custodian, or the PE teacher, or the bus driver, or the person at the front desk... We don’t know, so everyone having that information is critical," said Levinson. 

The bill is still in committee. As of early February, a vote on the change had not been scheduled. 

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