Suicide Prevention Training for Schools

In 2019, the Arizona State legislature passed ARS 15-120, known as the Mitch Warnock Act, mandating all public school staff be trained in suicide prevention. The statute states that AHCCCS will annually post approved suicide prevention training materials.

The law went into effect at the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year and mandates that all school staff who interact with students in grades 6 through 12 must receive suicide prevention training at least once every three years. Per the statute, the training must include:

  1. Training in suicide prevention,
  2. Training to identify the warning signs of suicidal behavior in adolescents and teens, and
  3. Appropriate intervention and referral techniques.

AHCCCS, in coordination with the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) and Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), have selected the following school suicide prevention training options for this school year, 2023-2024. School administrators can choose from these suicide prevention training materials as they work toward meeting the statute’s requirements:

* Kognito sunset note: AHCCCS was informed in August 2023 that Kognito At-Risk for Middle and High School Educators would be sunsetting as a brand. Trainings completed through Kognito will be honored and recognized as meeting Arizona Revised Statutes § 15-120 that mandates school districts and charter schools provide training in suicide awareness and prevention for school guidance counselors, teachers, principals and other school personnel who work with pupils in grades six through twelve at least once every three years.

Additionally, the Mitch Warnock Act stipulates that each school must provide its staff with information on its specific intervention and referral procedures. Jake’s Law requires that schools have a policy for behavioral health referrals and a process for obtaining parental consent, and post it on their website. The Arizona School Board Association has created a policy with assistance from AHCCCS and ADE to assist school districts with the statutory requirements for Jake’s Law. Once suicide prevention training is provided, school administrators shall provide staff with specific processes and procedures, outlined in their school policy, for crisis intervention and behavioral health referral. Once school staff have been trained in identifying the warning signs of suicidal behavior, it’s critical that they know the appropriate next steps to take per each schools unique process. School administrators should also provide information for local resources such as crisis line numbers. Information about the school’s referral process and important numbers should be displayed in common areas, such as a teacher lounge, as a constant reminder.

Beginning in 2023, new criteria were added by ADE and AHCCCS to allow for additional trainings to be reviewed and considered for inclusion on the approved list of trainings. The revised criteria for new (not previously approved) curriculum to be reviewed are the following:

  • Standardized, including documentation of training materials prohibiting facilitators from deviating from the sources of material, and has fidelity between the program and trainings,
  • Geared toward professional and support staff, and relevant to school settings,
  • Provides adequate time dedicated to the training, with a minimum of two hours, and
  • Is supported by organizations such as ASPC, AFSP, or similar.
  • Review to determine if this set of criteria was met for additional trainings was conducted by a third-party contractor.

AHCCCS, ADE, and ADHS evaluated additional suicide prevention training material and expanded the list for the 2023-2024 school year. The above list of suicide prevention training materials is scheduled to be posted on this webpage every year. For submissions of curriculum for consideration, BHInSchools@azahcccs.gov.

The Arizona Department of Education provides suicide prevention training for school staff and community members. While the Arizona Department of Education will prioritize the training of school staff, ADE also offers training to community members across the state. If your school or district is interested in more information on receiving a training from ADE, please visit the ADE Suicide Prevention Webpage.

More resources for schools:

Revised 09/06/2023