1. (a) Except as provided in § 6-704.1 of this title and beginning on or before July 1, 2018, the State Board shall require all certificated school personnel who have direct contact with students on a regular basis to complete training on or before December 1 each year, by a method determined by each county board, in the skills required to:

   1. (1) Understand and respond to youth suicide risk;
   2. (2) Identify professional resources to help students in crisis;
   3. (3) Recognize student behavioral health issues;
   4. (4) Recognize students experiencing trauma or violence out of school and refer students to behavioral health services; and
   5. (5) If the school is a community school, support any students needing the services at a community school.

2. (b) The training required under subsection (a) of this section shall be:

   1. (1) Provided to certificated school personnel during an in-service program; or
   2. (2) A professional development requirement that may be met during time designated for professional development.
3. (c) The State Board shall adopt regulations to implement this section.

4. (d)

   1. (1) This section may not be construed to impose a duty of care on certificated school personnel who complete training under subsection (a) of this section.

   2. (2) Unless the acts or omissions of a certificated school employee who completed training under subsection (a) of this section are willful, wanton, or grossly negligent, a person may not bring an action against the county board for personal injury or wrongful death caused by any act or omission resulting from:

      1. (i) Any training or lack of training of certificated school personnel under subsection (a) of this section; or
      2. (ii) The implementation of the training required under subsection (a) of this section.

Added by Acts 2017, c. 335, § 1, eff. July 1, 2017. Amended by Acts 2021, c. 36, § 3, eff. March 14, 2021.