# COMAR Title 13A — State Board of Education

## Subtitle 07 — School Personnel

### Chapter 11 — Student Suicide Prevention and Safety Training

**Authority:** Education Article, §§2-205, 6-122, and 6-704, Annotated Code of Maryland

**Administrative History:** Effective date: August 27, 2018 (45:17 Md. R. 804)

**Administrative History:** Regulation .02 amended effective March 21, 2022 (49:6 Md. R. 405)

**Administrative History:** Regulation .03A amended effective March 21, 2022 (49:6 Md. R. 405)

#### Regulation .01 Scope.

*COMAR 13A.07.11.01*

This chapter establishes a program of training in suicide prevention and student safety for all certificated school personnel who have direct contact with students on a regular basis.

#### Regulation .02 Definitions.

*COMAR 13A.07.11.02*

A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated.

B. Terms Defined.

  (1) “Behavioral Health” means:

    (a) Promotion of mental health, resilience, and well-being;

    (b) Treatment of mental and substance use disorders; and

    (c) Support for individuals who experience these conditions or are in recovery from these conditions, and for their family and community.

  (2) “Certificated school personnel” means an individual who holds a certificate from the Maryland State Department of Education in:

    (a) Early childhood education;

    (b) Elementary education;

    (c) Middle school education;

    (d) General secondary content areas;

    (e) Special education;

    (f) Specialty areas, such as art, dance, English for Speakers of Other Languages, environmental education, and health;

    (g) Administrative or supervisory areas;

    (h) Specialist areas; and

    (i) Student support personnel.

  (3) “Trauma” means when an individual is exposed to an overwhelming event, or series of events, and is rendered helpless in the face of intolerable danger, anxiety, or instinctual arousal.

#### Regulation .03 Required Training.

*COMAR 13A.07.11.03*

A. All certificated school personnel who have direct contact with students on a regular basis shall complete training on or before December 1 of each year, by a method determined by each county board, in the skills required to:

  (1) Understand and respond to youth suicide risk;

  (2) Understand and respond to student mental health, student trauma, student safety and other topics related to student social and emotional well-being;

  (3) Identify professional resources to help students in crisis;

  (4) Recognize student behavioral health issues;

  (5) Recognize a student experiencing trauma or violence out of school and refer the student to behavioral health services, which includes, but is not limited to, the school counselor, school psychologist, school nurse, school social worker, and student support team; and

  (6) If the school is a community school, support any students needing the services at a community school.

B. The training required by §A of this regulation shall be:

  (1) Provided to certificated school personnel during an in-service program; or

  (2) A professional development requirement that may be met during time designated for professional development.

#### Regulation .04 No Duty of Care.

*COMAR 13A.07.11.04*

A. The training requirement set forth in Regulation .03 of this chapter may not be construed to impose a duty of care on certificated school personnel who complete the training.

B. Unless the acts or omissions of a certificated school employee who completed the training required by Regulation .03 of this chapter are willful, wanton, or grossly negligent, a person may not bring an action against a county board for personal injury or wrongful death caused by an act or omission resulting from:

  (1) Any training or lack of training of certificated personnel under Regulation .03 of this chapter; or

  (2) The implementation of the training under Regulation .03 of this chapter.

#### Regulation .05 Documentation of Training.

*COMAR 13A.07.11.05*

The training requirement set forth in Regulation .03 of this chapter shall be monitored through documentation submitted annually to the State Superintendent from the local superintendents by school on the type of training, the number of certificated school personnel trained, the dates of the training, and the materials used for the training.