JEFFERSON CITY — In the governor’s office today, the governor signed Senate Bill 52 into law. Sponsored by Senator Nasheed, D-St. Louis, SB 52 will require higher education public institutions to implement policies that increase student awareness of mental health programs on and off campus and address suicide prevention.
“Suicide is a serious problem in the state of Missouri and on college campuses,” said Sen. Nasheed. “Suicide is one of the leading causes of death for teenagers and young adults. I strongly believe that having our schools be proactive in helping our students during their times of mental health crises and depression will go a long way in combating suicide.”
A supporter of Senate Bill 52, Representative Keith Frederick, R-Rolla, who is chairman of the Health and Mental Health Policy House Committee, carried the bill through the House. The bill will also allow medical schools to investigate the factors that increase the risk of depression among medical students and prohibit these schools from discouraging students from conducting mental health and depression studies.
“I thank the governor for seeing the need to sign Senate Bill 52 into law. With the bill’s overwhelming support in the General Assembly and from the governor, today’s signing reinforces the state’s commitment to making sure our young people have the resources and support they need to focus on their studies and get prepared for a bright future,” Sen. Nasheed noted.