Rightsize. Right Support. Right for Students.
Portland Public Schools is undertaking a districtwide rightsizing process to better align our schools, programs, and resources with the needs of today’s students and the realities shaping our future.
Portland Public Schools recognizes that youth suicide requires vigilant, proactive attention from all staff. PPS Board Policy 4.30.050-P was established in response to Oregon Senate Bill 52 (Adi's Act), passed in 2019.
In alignment with our Racial Equity and Social Justice (RESJ) framework, this policy centers on creating safe, affirmative school environments with specific focus on supporting youth populations statistically at elevated risk for suicide, including BIPOC students, LGBTQIA+ youth, students living with mental or substance use disorders, students experiencing houselessness, youth in out-of-home care, and students with disabilities.
Read the formal policy defining district requirements for youth suicide prevention, screening protocols, and family notifications.
View Policy Document →Review the detailed operational plan guiding school-based screening, emergency overrides, and postvention support.
View Implementation Plan →PPS employees fulfill required suicide prevention training. Once you have completed your training, record your completion status with the district.
PPS Board Policy 4.30.050-P establishes five interconnected requirements that guide district and school-based suicide prevention, intervention, training, planning, and family engagement.
All PPS staff receive training on risk factors, warning signs, and connecting students to resources. School Counselors, School Social Workers, School Psychologists, and other designated staff receive enhanced training in suicide screening, crisis navigation, supporting elevated-risk student groups, and hospital/crisis re-entry procedures.
Students receive annual, evidence-based, culturally responsive instruction focusing on healthy coping strategies, recognizing warning signs in self and peers, and help-seeking strategies. Curriculum choices are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary team.
Every school must establish its own plan featuring designated point(s) of contact, staff/student education schedules, affinity spaces for identity affirmation, housing/food insecurity referral pathways, tracking systems, and postvention team training.
The Student Services Department serves as the official record-keeper for suicide screenings, maintains building plan inventories, manages district-wide trainings, and provides expert crisis response and postvention support.
All families, staff, and partners are notified annually of this policy, home prevention best practices, and options for informal discussions or formal reviews regarding suicidal risk responses.
