Suicide Prevention Legislation

2021 Tennessee Code

Title 63 - Professions of the Healing Arts

Chapter 1 - Division of Health Related Boards

Part 1 - General Provisions

§ 63-1-125. Kenneth and Madge Tullis, MD, Suicide Prevention Training Act

Universal Citation: TN Code § 63-1-125 (2021)

a. This section shall be known and may be cited as the “Kenneth and Madge Tullis, MD, Suicide Prevention Training Act.”

b. As used in this section:

1. “Board” means a health-related board created in this title or title 68 and includes the:

A. Board for professional counselors, marital and family therapists, and clinical pastoral therapists, created by § 63-22-101;

B. Board of social work licensure, created by § 63-23-101;

C. Board of alcohol and drug abuse counselors, created by § 68-24-601; and

D. Board of occupational therapy, created by § 63-13-216; and

2. “Training program” means an empirically supported training program that covers the following elements:

A. Suicide prevention;

B. Suicide assessment and screening;

C. Suicide treatment;

D. Suicide management; and

E. Suicide postvention.

c. The department of mental health and substance abuse services shall:

1. Develop, in collaboration with the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network, a model list of training programs;

2. When developing the model list, consider training programs of at least two (2) hours in length that are based on expert consensus and adhere to high standards of suicide prevention;

3. When developing the model list, consult with the boards; public and private institutions of higher education; experts in suicide prevention, assessment, treatment, management, and postvention; and affected professional associations; and

4. Report, in collaboration with the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network, the model list of training programs to the department of health no later than December 15, 2017.

d. A board may approve a training program that excludes an element described in the definition of training program if the element is inappropriate for the profession in question or inappropriate for the level of licensure or credentialing of that profession based on the profession's scope of practice.

e. Beginning January 1, 2020, each of the following professionals certified or licensed under this title or title 68 shall, at least once every four (4) years, complete a training program that is approved by rule by the respective boards:

1. A social worker licensed under chapter 23 of this title;

2. A marriage and family therapist, professional counselor, or pastoral counselor certified or licensed under chapter 22 of this title;

3. An alcohol and drug abuse counselor certified under title 68, chapter 24; and

4. An occupational therapist licensed under chapter 13 of this title.

f. A professional listed in subsection (e) applying for initial licensure or certification on or after January 1, 2020, is not required to complete the training program required by this section for two (2) years after initial licensure or certification if the professional can demonstrate successful completion of a two-hour academic training program that meets criteria established by the profession's board and that was completed no more than two (2) years prior to the application for initial licensure or certification.

g. The hours spent completing the training program under this section count toward meeting any applicable continuing education requirements for each profession.

h. Nothing in this section expands or limits the scope of practice of any profession regulated under this title or title 68.

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