Amends GS 115C-376.5 by adding a suicide prevention education requirement to the school-based mental health policy the State Board of Education (Board) must adopt and requires that this education be provided to all licensed educators. Mandates that the material cover the educator’s role in youth suicide awareness in more detail than the model mental health training and permits self-review of suitable suicide prevention materials approved by the Board to accomplish the training. Requires the Board and Department of Public Instruction to make the materials available at no cost to K-12 school units. Requires school-based mental health plans for each K-12 school unit to include a suicide prevention education requirement as well. Mandates that each K-12 school unit provide the requirement to school personnel at no cost to the employee. Adds an annual one-hour suicide prevention education completion requirement coinciding with subsequent mental health trainings to school personnel’s training and protocol requirements. Provides that suicide prevention education requirements can be met in any of the ways mental health training requirements are fulfilled and adds completion of approved programs as a method of fulfillment. Amends the review and update, reporting, and limitation of civil liability subsections by adding the suicide prevention education requirement where relevant in each. 

Amends GS 115C-218.75(h), GS 115C-238.66(16), and GS 116-239.8(b)(18) by adding the suicide prevention education requirement to the required school-based mental health plans of charter schools, regional schools, and laboratory schools, respectively.

Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.