Home » Santa Clarita News » Education » Suicide Prevention Hotline Number To Be Printed On School ID Cards
hart district

Suicide Prevention Hotline Number To Be Printed On School ID Cards

Starting in the 2019 Fall semester, all junior high and high schools throughout California including Santa Clarita are required to print the suicide prevention hotline phone number on school ID card, officials said. 

On Sept. 17, 2018, former Government Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 972, written by Senator Anthony Portantino, D-La Cañada Flintridge.

SB 972 requires public, charter and private schools that serve students from 7th through 12th grade and institutes of higher education to print the national suicide prevention hotline telephone number on student ID cards. 

“As a father, I don’t want to ever read another story in the paper about a teen who took his or her life,” Portantino said. “I am hopeful that for students struggling with depression and grappling with suicidal thoughts, having this resource readily available will save a life. It’s a simple idea that should have a significant impact.”

The law requiring the number being put on the ID cards went into effect on July 1, according to officials. 

“We do have the suicide number on all of our ID cards,” said Dave Caldwell, a spokesperson for the William S Hart High School District. “We are being proactive in putting into place action to help those going through tough situations.”

One thing the Hart District has started doing is training teachers, counselors and staff to recognize signs in students that may indicate thoughts of suicide, officials said.

Even before this law went into effect, Hart District officials have been working to, “insure the complete student is being served,” Caldwell said.     

The move comes as suicide rates continue to rise in the United States. 

The suicide rate in 2017 was 33 percent higher than it was in 1999, and is now the second leading cause in death of young adults between 15 and 24 years old, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. 

“Adolescent suicide and self-inflicted injury are serious social and public health concerns,” Portantino said. 

With the law in place the senator is hopeful that having the suicide number on ID cards will help save the lives of students going through tough times, according to officials. 

“The addition of the suicide hotline on student identification cards is a sensible inclusion that will undoubtedly save lives,” Portantino said. 

The number of the suicide prevention hotline is 866-273-8255.


Sponsored Articles


Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or send an email to newstip@hometownstation.com. Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking KHTS Santa Clarita News Alerts delivered right to your inbox. Report a typo or error, email Corrections@hometownstation.com

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

KHTS FM 98.1 & AM 1220 - Santa Clarita News - Santa Clarita Radio

Suicide Prevention Hotline Number To Be Printed On School ID Cards

One comment

  1. Please address dyslexia in line with the CA dyslexia guidelines… You will save many lives. Please. #untilallkidsread #saydyslexia

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Louie Diaz

Louie was born and raised in Santa Clarita. At the age of two Louie lost his vision due to a brain tumor. However, Louie doesn't let blindness stop him from doing what ever it is he wants to accomplish. Growing up some of his favorite hobbies were wood working, fishing and riding bikes. Louie graduated from College of the Canyon in December of 2017, with a Broadcast Journalism degree. Growing up Louie has always wanted to be a fire fighter or a police officer, but because of his blindness Louie knew that wouldn't work. Louie has always loved listening to police and fire radio traffic, using a scanner, and he figured if he was going to listen to the scanner so much, he should do something with it.