Memo: NSEA Supports Senate Bill 204

SB 204 is a proactive bill that requires school districts to prioritize prevention of suicide, providing training to educators, students, and other school staff including school resource officers.

SB 204 also outlines appropriate response to suicide or attempted suicide, delineating that counseling services be made available to the school community.

According to the National Institute for Mental Health, one in five children between the ages of 13 and 18 have, or will have, a serious mental illness. Such illnesses are highly correlated to suicide, with 90% of those who die by suicide having an underlying mental illness. At a time when suicide is the third leading cause of death among children and young adults ages 10 to 24, the supports present in SB 204 are especially critical for all Nevada students.