The Oregon Health Authority (OHA), Oregon Department of Education (ODE), Lines for Life, and local suicide prevention champions are collaborating to launch the Suicide Prevention and Wellness Program for school districts. This program, part of the new statewide School Safety and Prevention System, is designed to support school districts in implementing and sustaining solid, evidence based and racial equity centered suicide prevention policies and plans.
In 2019 the Oregon Legislature passed Adi’s Act (Senate Bill 52) and the Student Success Act. They required each school district in Oregon to have a suicide prevention, intervention and postvention response policy and plan, and established a statewide School Safety and Prevention System. Adi’s Act was named after Adi Staub, a young transgender woman in Oregon who died by suicide in 2017. Basic Rights Oregon, the statewide LGBTQ advocacy group, worked with Adi’s family to develop and introduce Adi’s Act in the Legislature, and, after it passed, were also engaged in planning.
"This program is being designed and implemented by a very special group of leaders, staff, and volunteers across many organizations," said Lon Staub, Adi’s father. "Their collective passion, commitment and expertise gives me confidence that we can provide hope, health and healing to at-risk youth and their families." "It’s so powerful to see this legislation become a reality for kids throughout the state," said Nancy Haque, executive director of Basic Rights Oregon. "The purpose of Adi’s Act is to ensure that, no matter who students love or how they identify, they are protected, supported, and see a future for themselves in Oregon."
Oregon Department of Education is responsible for coordinating implementation of the legislation, and OHA and Lines for Life work to support this critical piece of the statewide School Safety and Prevention System. The Suicide Prevention and Wellness Program for school districts established by Adi’s Act includes the following projects:
Suicide Prevention and Wellness Program positions.
Mini grants and additional training opportunities.
"All of our students deserve to feel safe, welcome and secure," said ODE Director Colt Gill. "Through the Suicide Prevention and Wellness Program, we’re one step closer to making schools the welcoming safe haven our students need and deserve." "While we know that suicide is a preventable cause of death, we also know that we must continue to do as much as we can to create and maintain safety nets for all of our students, not just some," said OHA Director Pat Allen.