Issue Position: Mental Health, Suicide & School Violence

Issue Position

"Raising awareness around mental health and suicide prevention is essential to the health and wellbeing of our community, and especially our young people." - Barry

Senator Finegold has filed the SAVE Students Act (S.285), which would help train teachers and students to detect signs of isolation and interpersonal violence among students in order to stop the current epidemic of suicide and school violence. If passed, the bill would require that all Massachusetts middle and high school students have access to evidence-based programming to combat social isolation, build inclusive community, identify signs of interpersonal violence and suicide and learn how to reach out for help. It would also establish a statewide anonymous reporting system to collect tips and information about potential threats to the safety of Massachusetts students.

Senator Finegold is also the author of "Conrad's Law," named in honor of Conrad Roy, who died by suicide in 2014 after being coerced by his girlfriend, Michelle Carter. Conrad's Law seeks to hold malicious actors criminally liable for inducing suicide through the coercion or encouragement of those vulnerable to suicidal ideation, while protecting potential victims at high risk of suicide. The bill imposes criminal liability on a person who has actual knowledge of another person's suicidal ideation, who also coerces or encourages the other person to commit suicide, or provides the physical means, or knowledge of such means, to commit suicide. Conrad's Law would allow Massachusetts to join the ranks of the 42 other states in punishing people who induce others who they know to be prone to suicidal thoughts into acting on those impulses.

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