Education - Youth Suicide Prevention School Program - Revisions

SB 310 revises Maryland's Youth Suicide Prevention School Program to require schools to teach students about the link between gambling and youth suicide. The bill amends curriculum standards (sections 7-501(2) and 7-504(b)(1)(ii) of the Maryland Annotated Code) to explicitly include gambling as a factor related to youth suicide, alongside drug and alcohol use. This change affects all public schools receiving state funding for suicide prevention programs, mandating classroom instruction that increases awareness of gambling's connection to suicide risk. The policy update responds to research showing youth gambling rates are rising (17.5% of high school students reported gambling in the past year) and that gambling problems correlate with higher suicide attempts among young adults. The bill does not alter funding or program structure but specifies new educational content for existing suicide prevention curricula.