SCS/SB 52 - This act creates several provisions relating to suicide awareness and prevention. This act requires each public institution of higher education to develop and implement a policy to advise students and staff on suicide prevention programs available on and off campus that includes, but is not limited to crisis intervention access, mental health program access, multimedia application access, student communication plans, and post intervention plans. Such policy shall also advise students, faculty, and staff of the proper procedures for identifying and addressing the needs of students exhibiting suicidal tendencies or behavior, and shall require training where appropriate.
Each public institution of higher education shall provide all incoming students with information about depression and suicide prevention resources available to students. The information contained in such policy, in addition to any applicable free-of-cost prevention materials or programs, shall be posted on the websites of each public institution of higher education.
Each public institution shall establish and maintain methods of anonymous reporting of unsafe, potentially harmful, dangerous, violent, or criminal activities, or the threat of such activities. Such methods shall ensure the anonymity of the reporting party.
This act designates August 28, 2017, and thereafter a date designated by specified committees, as "Show-Me Compassionate Medical Education Day".
Under this act, no medical school in the state shall prohibit, discourage, or otherwise restrict a medical student organization or a medical organization from undertaking or conducting a study of the prevalence of depression or other mental health issues among medical students. Any medical school in this state is prohibited from penalizing, disciplining, or otherwise taking any adverse action against a student or medical student organization in connection with the student's or medical student organization's participation in, planning, or conducting a study of the prevalence of depression or other mental health issues among medical students.
This act permits medical schools in this state to conduct an ongoing multicenter study or studies in order to facilitate the collection of data and implement practices and protocols to minimize stress and reduce the risk for depression among medical students in Missouri. The act establishes the "Show-Me Compassionate Medical Education Research Project Committee". The multicenter study shall, among other specified objectives, collect relevant data and examine the culture of medical schools that may contribute to the risk of depression among students, as well as identify best practices to address the root causes of depression among students.
Any medical school which conducts a study under this act shall prepare an annual report concerning the specified objectives of the study. The reports must be made available annually on each medical school's website and to the Missouri General Assembly.
The sections relating to the "Show Me Compassionate Medical Education Act" contain an emergency clause.
This act is substantially similar to HCS/HB 569 (2017), SCS/HCS/HB 1658 (2016), HCS/SS/SB 621 (2016), SB 1029 (2016) and SB 627 (2016).
JAMIE ANDREWS