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Nixon signs school bullying and youth suicide law

Nixon also addressed his record of improving mental health services in Missouri

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. — Gov. Jay Nixon signed legislation Friday designed to address student safety, specifically cyber bullying and youth suicide.

HB 1583, sponsored by Rep. Sue Allen, R-Town and Country, modifies requirements for school anti-bullying policies and adds definitions for cyberbullying to the policies.

Nixon
Nixon

“Every student should feel safe at school, and every teacher should have the resources and training needed to keep them safe,” Nixon said. “This is an important piece of legislation that can improve and save lives, and I appreciate the work of the Legislature to bring it to my desk.”

The law also enables teachers to complete youth suicide awareness training and requires schools to adopt policies to identify students at risk of suicide. The anti-suicide policies must be in place by the 2018-2019 school year.

The anti-suicide training allows licensed educators to annually complete up to two hours of training or professional development in youth suicide awareness and prevention to satisfy a portion of the hours required for professional development. This training can begin for the 2017-2018 school year.

Nixon signed the bill after addressing the Missouri Department of Mental Health’s Spring Training summit in Osage Beach. He used the opportunity to tout his achievements in strengthening Missouri’s mental health system.

Nixon claimed responsibility for securing $10 million annually for the Strengthening Mental Health Initiative, which included provisions to place 31 community mental health liaisons statewide to work with law enforcement and court personnel to connect people in behavioral health crises to treatment.

The governor’s office says that there have been more than 31,000 contacts between Community Mental Health Liaisons, law enforcement and the courts, with more than 18,000 referrals to mental health services.

Nixon also touted the FY 2017 budget, which he said answered his call for investments in services for Missourians with developmental disabilities, mental illness and substance use disorders and increased state and federal funding for the Department of Mental Health by more than $200 million.