Suicide rates have skyrocketed among young people in Missouri. According to the Missouri Institute of Mental Health, suicide was the second leading cause of death in 2018 for 10 to 34 year olds.
Rep. Ann Kelley, R-Lamar, is the sponsor of a bill that would require schools to train their teachers in suicide prevention. It also requires schools to print the number for suicide prevention hotlines on student identification cards.
Kaycee Nail is a representative of the Missouri School Counselor Association and she says schools are currently not well equipped to help students with their mental health care.
“A student said that they were suicidal and the principal sent that student home immediately, which is pretty scary.”
The bill received no opposition during the hearing.
