LITTLE ROCK -- The Arkansas School Safety Commission has expanded its list of goals for improving student and staff security to include proposals related to mental health services.
The 18-member commission of law enforcement officers, educators and mental health providers has been working since March to identify gaps in school safety and strategies to address them. The commission has already adopted suggestions this month for armed school security, development of school safety plans and drills to practice responses to threats.
The commission accepted proposals Thursday from its subcommittees for schools to establish a proven system of evaluating threats to students to determine their validity, and to report those found to be serious, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.
Proposals also included for school districts to implement an anti-bullying program, conduct school climate surveys, ensure student access to mental health services and expand employee training in mental health first aid.
The mental health section is "probably the most important part" of the commission's list, said A.J. Gary, commission member and director of the state Department of Emergency Management.
"If we can make an impact on the school culture through these programs, we can certainly reduce the possibility of a school shooting," he said.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointed the commission after the Feb. 14 school shooting in Florida that left 17 people dead. There have since been additional school shootings, including in Texas and Indiana. The suspected shooters in those cases were either a current or former student of the school.
Commissioners will submit a preliminary report to Hutchinson by July 1 and a final version by Nov. 30.
State Desk on 06/23/2018