With the back-to-school season in full swing, State Representative Jim Pressel recently sent out a release that highlights some of the ways legislators are looking out for students.
Some different laws that were passed this year were emphasized in the release, including a few that focus on the health and well being of students.
There is one law that focuses on the safety of student-athletes. House Enrolled Act 1024 establishes a certified coaching education course on how to prevent and respond to heat-related medical issues. School and intramural sports coaches for students in grades 5 through 12 are required to undergo this training.
Another law is meant to support foster youth. Nationally, 56 percent of children in foster care graduate from high school and only three percent graduate from college.
State officials are apparently working to develop tools to help foster care students succeed. House Enrolled Act 1314 requires the Department of Education, the Department of Child Services and the State Board of Education to produce annual reports on the educational outcomes of students in foster care.
Another very important law that was put into place addresses the high number of Hoosier students who report feeling suicidal. According to the Indiana Youth Institute, Hoosier youth are significantly more likely to consider or attempt suicide than their peers nationally.
Senate Enrolled Act 230 aims to prevent suicide deaths by updating awareness programs for educators, health care providers and emergency medical technicians. With this new law, the already mandatory annual training must be demonstrated to be an effective or promising program and it has to be recommended by the Indiana Suicide Prevention Network Advisory Council.
