Revises provisions relating to public monuments. (BDR 35-1013)

2025 Regular Session Introduced by John Ellison

Adds gambling addiction as a risk factor for youth suicide and strengthens school programs to identify trauma, screen students, and refer to behavioral health services.

(Pursuant to Joint Standing Rule No. 14.3.1, no further action allowed.)

Main purpose and intent

SB 310 updates Maryland’s Youth Suicide Prevention School Program to explicitly recognize gambling and gambling addiction as factors associated with youth suicide risk, and to strengthen the program’s focus on identifying student behavioral health needs, recognizing trauma or violence experienced outside school, and ensuring referral to behavioral health services.

Key provisions and changes

Amends Article — Education, §§ 7‑501 and 7‑504:

Adds “gambling addiction” to the list of problems that often accompany youth suicide (alongside drug abuse and alcohol use).
Expands the program’s objectives to require/promote recognizing student behavioral health issues, recognizing students experiencing trauma or out‑of‑school violence, and referring those students to behavioral health services.
Explicitly includes classroom instruction that increases pupils’ awareness of the relationship between drug and alcohol use, gambling, and youth suicide.

Retains and clarifies existing program components authorized under § 7‑504, including:

Classroom instruction (sound decision‑making, signs of suicidal tendencies, community resources).
School or community‑based alternatives (peer programs, counseling, data collection on attempts, intervention and follow‑up, mental‑health promotion, 24‑hour hotlines).
Parent education and teacher training.
Departmental authority to assist local systems in piloting peer‑to‑peer mental‑health awareness programs.

Who is affected

Primary: K–12 pupils in Maryland, especially those served by local Youth Suicide Prevention School Programs.

Schools and local education agencies: required/encouraged to update curricula, training, and referral practices.

State agencies: Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and Maryland Department of Health (MDH) — responsible for regulations, guidance, and supporting local implementation.

Community partners: suicide prevention and crisis centers, behavioral health providers, school counselors, parents.

Implementation, timeline, and fiscal impact

Effective July 1, 2025. Enacted as Chapter 246 after Governor’s approval (May 6, 2025).

Fiscal note (Department of Legislative Services): MSDE and MDH can update regulations and materials using existing resources; local school systems can likely incorporate gambling content with current budgets. No ongoing revenue impact identified; no major new state or local costs anticipated.

Practical impact

Local suicide prevention programs will need to incorporate gambling awareness into classroom lessons and staff training, and to strengthen screening/referral pathways for behavioral health and trauma‑related needs.

Materials, teacher training, and referral protocols may be revised or expanded to reflect the new emphasis; MSDE/MDH guidance expected to support local implementation.

For more detail: SB 310 amends Education Article §§ 7‑501 and 7‑504 of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

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