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Minutes for SB333 - Committee on Education
Short Title
Amendments to the Jason Flatt act; relating to suicide awareness and prevention training.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 8, 2018
Chairperson Baumgardner called the meeting to order. She stated that there were sixteen people that have been identified to give oral testimony. Chairperson Baumgardner stated that each person would have 2 minutes to speak and as the Committee will be hearing differing opinions she asked that all conferees be heard and respected.
(Attachment 1) (Attachment 2) (Attachment 3) Senator Bruce Givens, who introduced the bill, provided testimony. He discussed his personal experience with this emotional issue, stated he was not trying to de-emphasize suicide prevention. He stated that he wanted to do this better and providing a list of training. Senator Givens stated he wants to still have a required amount of training, but wants it to be specialized for different ages and created by individual districts. He stated if we are going to do this training he felt it could be done better. Senator Givens is proposing to change the way we do the training and who creates the training and requirements. No questions for Senator Givens were presented.
(Attachment 4) Senator Lynn Rogers spoke as a supporter. He discussed his personal experience as a former school administrator, and he presented a training guide for the Committee to view. Senator Rogers stated that he sees this allowing the districts to do longer and more in-depth training. He discussed resources on the website listed in his testimony and stated that he feels the Kansas State Board of Education and local boards need the freedom to decide this training.
(Attachment 5) G.A. Buie, Executive Director, United School Administrators of Kansas and the Kansas School Superintendents Association, provided testimony. Mr. Buie stated they were in favor of the changes to the Jason Flatt Act.
(Attachment 6) Mark Desetti, Kansas National Educators Association (KNEA), presented as a proponent. He presented testimony based on the KNEA history with such training, and noted it would allow more flexibility. He noted that the bill may not be clear on who gets trained, and we have an underfunded system.
Senator Pettey stated she was on the State Board Mental Advisory Board, and they have discussed this issue. She noted it was about how best to provide training in schools, and that it is possible that a one hour required training may not be the best way.
This concluded the proponents of this bill. Next, the opponents of the bill provided testimony.
(Attachment 7) Dorthy Stucky Halley, LMSW, Director of Victim Services Division, Office of the Attorney General, discussed data and statistics that were detailed in her testimony. She asked the Committee to keep in mind not only what has been done wrong, but also what has been done right with suicide prevention and awareness. She noted that the current act does not set a maximum, but sets a minimum and does not prevent anyone from further training or action.
(Attachment 8) Tim DeWeese, LMSW, Director, Johnson County Mental Health, provided testimony in opposition to changes presented. He noted that an environment needs to be created to have open and honest dialogue. He stated that we should be looking beyond the one-hour training and partner together to effectively change this epidemic.
(Attachment 9) Monica Kurz, BA, Headquarters, Inc, Director Kansas Suicide Prevention Resource Center presented testimony in opposition of the proposed changes. She discussed her position and experience, and noted that it takes an entire community to effectively handle mental health issues and suicide awareness. She discussed what was at stake if there was not at least a one-hour minimum.
(Attachment 10) Beth Wright, president of ESU Hope, Suicide Board, discussed that she lost her older brother a year ago. She gave an emotional testimony discussing the need for training and her attempt to discover who is taking this training seriously. She stated the one hour minimum was critical to start awareness, and she hoped that this would broaden in the further.
(Attachment 11) Deb Peterson discussed in testimony the loss of her son and her personal experience with discussing his suicide. Ms. Peterson discussed other personal experiences with suicide and depression as detailed in her testimony.
(Attachment 12) Vicki Claassen, MSN, APRN, BC, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Board Certified in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Nursing provided testimony. Ms. Claassen is currently an APRN at Family Service and Guidance Center in Topeka, KS. She discussed working with children four to eighteen, and stated that suicide affects all ages. Ms. Claassen noted that in our social media era children can not escape things such as cyber bullying and harmful posts.
(Attachment 13) Meena Allada provided testimony as a student and friend to a suicide victim. She discussed her personal story with her best friend's suicide, as well as the recent deaths in Johnson County schools. She noted she was in this Committee two years ago when they recommended all staff should be trained in awareness.
(Attachment 14) Betty Brennan, parent to Broderick Jones, and parent to a son that has passed from suicide, provided testimony. Ms. Brennan discussed her personal story of a student that was identified as having possible suicidal thoughts, and how the students and staff identified the need to intervene.
(Attachment 15) Broderick Jones, junior at Hiawatha High School, gave testimony as a victim of suicide. He discussed his brothers passing from suicide, as well as his own depression and experience. He noted that he was not asked until he attempted to harm himself if he had suicidal thoughts, and believes if those around him had this training he may have been identified earlier.
(Attachment 16) Nancy Adair, who has lost two sons to suicide, presented testimony in opposition to changes to the Jason Flatt Act. Ms. Adair asked the Committee to not reduce training and requirements for this important subject.
(Attachment 17) Elaine Adair, parent of Matthew Adair, who passed from suicide, discussed her previous work in helping the original bill get passed. Ms. Adair stated she opposed eliminating the one hour training, as well as reducing any staff that are required to take the training. She added that when this amendment was introduced recently, she was contacted by a group of students that are working to expand this training, and also noted that just a few days ago another student was lost to suicide in Topeka.
(Attachment 18) Sandy Reams, Facilitator Healing After Loss to Suicide (HEALS) Support Group, gave testimony in opposition to any changes to the Jason Flatt Act. She discussed her son whom was lost to suicide, and how this has shaped her. Ms. Reams stated she was angry when she heard there may be changes and she discussed the previous work in getting this training passed. She commented that the original act already allows for flexibility. She conveyed data to the Committee from her morning meeting with the Topeka Police Department.
The following provided written testimony:
(Attachment 19) Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt provided written testimony.
(Attachment 20) Clark Flatt, President, The Jason Foundation, Inc., provided written testimony.
(Attachment 21) Helen Rentz, Grandmother of Sara Prideaux, Mother of Allie Doss, and Widow, provided written testimony.
(Attachment 22) Mark Wessel, concerned parent, provided written testimony.
(Attachment 23) Rick Cagan, Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Kansas, provided written testimony.
(Attachment 24) Jamie Manhart, Silver Lake High School Teacher, provided written testimony.
(Attachment 25) Samantha Neill, Buhler High School Teacher, provided written testimony.
(Attachment 26) Debe Uhl, concerned citizen, provided written testimony.
(Attachment 27) Cathy Housh, parent to Cady Housh and Ciara Webb, provided written testimony.
(Attachment 28) Amy Campbell, Kansas Mental Health Coalition Representative, provided written testimony.
(Attachment 29) Brad Weaver, Atchison Elementary School, 2018 Kansas Regional Teacher of the Year, provided written testimony.
(Attachment 30) Jim Porter and Kathy Busch, Kansas State Board of Education and School Mental Health Advisory Council, provided joint written testimony.
Chairperson Baumgardner thanked everyone present and adjourned the meeting.
