Public Policy Work
The Power to Save Lives Through State Policy Change is Yours
Suicide a preventable cause of death. The steps we take to spread this message – and build it into systems and communities – can lessen its toll.
Forefront has been instrumental in the passage of eleven bills in Washington related to suicide prevention, including the first state law in the nation requiring suicide prevention training for all health and behavioral health providers.
Our approach to policy and systems change enlists lawmakers, state agencies, the private sector and community partners in developing and implementing sustainable solutions. This coalition building takes hard work and often brings success. Many meetings, conference calls, emails to legislators, and other examples of constituent advocacy go into each suicide prevention bill.
In addition to advocating for specific legislation addressing suicide prevention and behavioral health, Forefront staff serve on several state committees, such as the Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the Governor’s Challenge addressing veteran suicide, and the Children & Youth Behavioral Health Work Group. We are proud to work with legislators and policy leaders on population-level measures impacted by policy, such as requirements for suicide prevention training for behavioral health and healthcare providers, schools, and support for veterans.
Legislative Milestones: Forefront Suicide Prevention
2021: Implementing the national 988 crisis line number
House Bill 1477
Implementing the national 988 system to enhance and expand behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention services.
2020: Suicide prevention training for construction industry, veterinarians, health care providers
House Bill 2411
Provides advanced suicide prevention training requirements for mental health professionals; adds a one-time training requirement for optometrists, acupuncturists, Eastern medicine practitioners, veterinarians; adds creation of training for construction industry.
2019: Funding for Safer Homes program
House Bill 1109
Safer Homes, Suicide Aware coalition funding for 2020 and 2021 was provided to continue work established in House Bill 1612.
2018: Suicide prevention & behavioral health care in higher education
Senate Bill 6514
Concerning suicide prevention and behavioral health in higher education, with enhanced services to student veterans
2017: Firearms sales & transfers
2017: Public-private partnership fund to support the Safer Homes Task Force
House Bill 1612
Implementing a Suicide-Safer Homes public education platform: Establishing a public-private partnership fund to implement the work of the Safer-Homes task force.
2016: Funding for suicide prevention education through the Safer Homes Task Force
House Bill 2793
2015: Establishing a task force on mental health & suicide prevention in higher education
House Bill 1138
Creating a task force on mental health and suicide prevention in higher education. As a result of this law, the Task Force on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in Higher Education gathered data about suicide prevention efforts and the amount of suicidal behavior on campuses, preparatory to recommending more comprehensive ways to keep students safer from suicide.
2015: Veteran-specific issues covered in suicide prevention training for health care professionals
House Bill 1424
Ensures that all suicide prevention training for health care professionals will cover issues specific to military veterans, and skills to assess suicidal individuals’ access to lethal means.
2014: Training health care professionals in suicide prevention
House Bill 2315
Concerning training health care professionals in suicide assessment, management and treatment. Extended the HB 2366 training requirement to include mandated suicide prevention training for health care professionals.
2013: Suicide prevention requirements for school districts
House Bill 1336
Increasing the capacity of school districts to recognize and respond to youth at-risk for suicide, and to build awareness for students who may be struggling with mental health issues that may lead to attempted suicide.
2012: Require suicide prevention training for health care & mental health professionals
House Bill 2366
Washington State passed ESHB 2366, otherwise known as the Matt Adler Suicide Assessment, Treatment, and Management Act of 2012. ESHB 2366 is the first law in the nation to require certain health professionals to obtain continuing education in the assessment, treatment, and management of suicide risk as a requirement of licensure.