The Impact of Statewide Enumerated Antibullying Laws and Local School Interventions on School Spaces, Physical Harm, and Suicide Attempts for LGBTQ Youth.

Purpose: Our goal was to evaluate the impact of enumerated antibullying laws and local interventions on school affirmation, risk of physical threat or harm, and suicide attempts for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. Methods: This study used cross-sectional data from three national sources that provided outcomes and potential predictors: (1) The Trevor Project National Survey 2022: based on the LGBTQ youth report, (2) Movement Advancement Project: presence of LGBTQ enumerated antibullying state laws, and (3) School Health Profiles 2020: statewide prevalence of school-level strategies to improve student wellness reported by school personnel. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models calculated the relative risks (RRs) for each outcome. Results: LGBTQ youth (n = 27,697) were surveyed. Youth were less likely to identify their school as nonaffirming in states with enumerated laws (RR: 0.97, confidence interval [CI]: 0.94-0.99) and in states with higher percentages of gay/straight alliances (GSAs) (RR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.96-0.97). Youth were less likely to report a history of physical threat or harm in states with more GSAs (RR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.95-0.97). Enumerated state laws were associated with a lower risk of suicide attempts among LGBTQ youth (RR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.77-0.87). Universal strategies/policies not specific to LGBTQ youth did not reduce risk of physical threat/harm or suicide attempts. Conclusions: Statewide enumerated antibullying protections and the presence of a GSA were associated with a decreased risk of poor outcomes among LGBTQ youth. Longitudinal studies are needed to assess the impact of recent legislative changes.

A Guide for Schools on Student-Directed Suicide Prevention Programs Eligible for Implementation under the STANDUP Act, a Rapid Review and Evidence Synthesis.

This review evaluates the strength of evidence for school-based mental health and suicide prevention programs that meet the legal eligibility criteria of the Suicide Training and Awareness Nationally Delivered for Universal Prevention Act of 2021 (STANDUP Act). Included studies were aggregated by program and a program's overall body of evidence was evaluated using the LEGEND system. Requirements for implementation were also documented. We identified 29 studies, which, when aggregated, encompassed 12 unique programs that meet the statute's evidence-based criteria. All four outcomes described in the statute were measured, with help-seeking being the most commonly measured. Two programs were assigned a high level of evidence in decreasing suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The findings serve as a resource for school officials in identifying evidence-based mental health and suicide prevention programs and understanding the resources needed for implementation.