An Act to strengthen suicide prevention in schools

HD 339 requires Massachusetts public school districts and charter schools to develop policies partnering with community mental health organizations to refer students needing support. It shortens two existing timeframes: requiring schools to update suicide prevention plans annually (instead of every 3 years) and to complete safety reviews within 60 days (instead of 6 months). The bill also mandates the Department of Education to create rules for these school-community partnerships, focusing on connecting students to mental health, substance use, and social services. This directly affects school administrators and staff responsible for implementing student support programs.