Advocates urge keeping annual, multihour suicide-prevention training; bill would allow biennial training

Representative Melissa Litchfield presented HB 1635, which would change the timing and frequency of suicide-prevention training for school personnel: require initial training within 30 days of hire and make subsequent training occur every two years instead of every year, while allowing districts discretion to provide more frequent or longer trainings.

Supporters argued the change would give districts flexibility and reduce training redundancy. Representative Margaret Drei, who is an EMT, compared suicide-prevention training to other certifications that recur every two years and said the bill preserves initial training and allows districts latitude on delivery.

Opponents, including Holly Stevens of NAMI New Hampshire and Jenny O'Higgins of the Department of Health and Human Services, urged retaining the annual two-hour minimum. "This yearly training is important so that school personnel feel more comfortable and confident in talking to students about suicide," Stevens said, arguing that repetitive training builds proficiency and confidence to intervene.

DHHS's O'Higgins noted that national evidence-based suicide-prevention trainings typically require at least two hours and that New Hampshire's youth suicide rates make prevention efforts particularly important. "Two hours is the minimum, not the goal," she said, pointing to data showing youth and young adults in New Hampshire are disproportionately affected by suicide.

Committee members probed whether focusing on core content areas rather than an hours mandate could meet training goals. Testimony included detailed discussion of training modalities, the state's Youth Risk Behavior Survey trends, and whether biennial training would reduce preparedness. The committee concluded the public hearing and did not adopt a final amendment during the session.