Sacramento, CA
When Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 2246 in late September, California became the first state in the nation to require suicide prevention classes in schools.
Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents between the ages of ten and twenty-four— second only to accidents. In addition, Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender (LGBT) youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers.
AB2246 will require suicide prevention education for LGBTQ students and other at-risk populations. The schools will provide the mandatory suicide prevention education to children in grades 7 through 12.