STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 1271
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2021
RE: H.R. No. 40
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2021
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred H.R. No. 40 entitled:
"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO CREATE A MODEL STATEWIDE SCHOOL POLICY ON STUDENT SUICIDE PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, AND POSTVENTION IN GRADES K-12,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Education to convene a working group to create a model statewide school policy on student suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention in grades K-12.
Your Committee received
testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs,
Hawaii Youth Services Network, Hawaii Health & Harm Reduction Center,
AF3IRM Hawai‘i, The
Trevor Project, Sutter Health Kāhi Mōhala, and three individuals.
Your Committee finds
that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning youth are at
a higher risk of experiencing suicidal ideation or engaging in self-injury or
considering suicide than their heterosexual and cisgender peers. Your Committee further finds that school
personnel who interact with students on a daily basis are essential gatekeepers
for recognizing warning signs of suicide and making the appropriate referrals
for help.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 40 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Education.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness,
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____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair |
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