Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth and young adults in Kentucky. According to the Kentucky Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 15 percent of Kentucky high school students (1 in 7) reported having seriously considered suicide within a 12-month period. In addition, 17.4 percent of Kentucky middle school students (nearly 1 in 5) reported that they had seriously considered killing themselves at some point in their lives. However, experts say that suicide can be preventable. When educators, students and communities learn warning signs and how to take action when a young person might be at risk of a suicidal crisis, lives can be saved.
Reference the Suicide Prevention Month Flyer designating September as awareness month.
Guidance for Student Suicide Prevention Delivery
KRS 158.039 - Every public school and public charter school shall provide two (2) high quality, evidence-based suicide prevention awareness lessons each school year, the first by September 15 and the second by January 15, either in person, by live streaming, or via a video recording to all students in grades six (6) through twelve (12). Every public school shall provide an opportunity for any student absent on the day the high quality, evidence-based suicide prevention awareness lesson was initially presented to receive the lesson at a later time. The information may be obtained from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services or from a commercially developed suicide prevention training program.
There is no opt-out provision in KRS 156.095 (6) that allows for students (or staff) to opt out of the training requirements; however, districts have broad latitude in determining what specific training options are deployed. Districts can use a curriculum purchased from a vendor or downloaded from CHFS. If a parent or staff member has concerns that participating in the training may compromise their mental health, it's recommended that they be provided a safe place to be in during the training process, such as in the school counselor's or social worker's office, and be provided information on the resources CHFS has made available, such as accessing the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the 741741 Crisis Text Line, etc.
In response to Kentucky legislation regarding suicide prevention training and awareness for middle school and high school staff and students, the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities has prepared information about programs, training, and materials. These resources can be found Section 4 of the DBHDID Guide of Recommendations for School Suicide Prevention.
Suicide Prevention Education for Middle and High School Staff
In 2025, KRS 156.095 was amended to require a four (4) year recurring professional development training schedule that includes all professional development for certified personnel. Within twelve (12) months of initial hire and at least once every four (4) years thereafter, all certified school district employees and public charter school employees must complete at least one (1) hour of high-quality, evidence-based suicide prevention training, including risk factors, warning signs, protective factors, response procedures, referral, postvention, and the recognition of signs and symptoms of possible mental illness. KDE partners with the Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DBHDID) to identify training options to help districts meet this requirement through the resources below.
DBHDID School Suicide Prevention Quick Guide - This concise guide offers an overview of best practices for implementing suicide prevention training in schools. It emphasizes aligning efforts with each school’s existing resources and care pathways, recommends staff and student programs, and outlines practices to avoid. It also includes postvention guidance and links to evidence-based tools through the Suicide Prevention Resource Center.
DBHDID School Recommendations for Suicide Prevention Toolkit - This comprehensive toolkit is designed to help Kentucky schools establish robust, school-wide suicide prevention programs. It includes guidance on trauma-informed communication, staff training, policies, and the ethical use of AI-based risk monitoring tools. The resource supports a coordinated, whole-school approach to promoting student mental health.
Youth Mental Health First Aid
As part of the Kentucky AWARE Project funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services SAMHSA, the Kentucky Department of Education is currently providing Youth Mental Health First Aid Training. Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. This evidence-based 6-hour certification course gives adults who work with youth the skills they need to reach out and provide initial support to adolescents (ages 12-18) who may be in crisis or developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care. Kentucky Department of Education is able to offer the course for free to school and community groups. Request more information by emailing ymhfainfo@education.ky.gov.