Jason Flatt Act- Suicide Prevention

The Kansas Legislature passes SB 323 which is known as the Jason Flatt Youth Suicide Awareness Act. This provision requires each school district to provide suicide awareness and prevention programming to all school staff and notify parents or guardians of students enrollen in their school district of the training materials provided. 

USD 474 requires all staff to receive at least one hour of state board of education approved training each calendar year. Parents and guardians of USD 474 students have training materials available to them upon request to administration. 

KSA 72-6284. Jason Flatt act. (a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the Jason Flatt act.

(b) The board of education of each school district shall provide suicide awareness and prevention programming to all school staff and shall notify the parents or legal guardians of students enrolled in such school district that the training materials provided under such programming are available to such parents or legal guardians. Such programming shall include, at a minimum:

(1) At least one hour of training each calendar year based on programs approved by the state board of education. Such training may be satisfied through independent self-review of suicide prevention training materials; and

(2) a building crisis plan developed for each school building. Such plan shall include:

(A) Steps for recognizing suicide ideation;

(B) appropriate methods of interventions; and

(C) a crisis recovery plan.

(c) No cause of action may be brought for any loss or damage caused by any act or omission resulting from the implementation of the provisions of this section, or resulting from any training, or lack of training, required by this section. Nothing in this section shall be construed to impose any specific duty of care.

(d) On or before January 1, 2017, the state board of education shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this section.

History: L. 2016, ch. 83, § 1; May 19.

Local Resources: 

Iroquois Center Greensburg- 620-723-2272

Crisis Text Line- Text KS to 741741

Kansas Suicide Prevention Resource Center

Other Resources for Youth Suicide Prevention: 

Jason Flatt Foundation

SAMHSA Suicide Prevention Page

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention- Kansas Chapter 

Getting Help:

If you or a friend need to talk with a counselor for help or for resources available to you in your area call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). It is a free 24-hour hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Once you call it will be routed to the nearest crisis center to you.