Kentucky
Learn more about suicide and prevention efforts in Kentucky, including a list of laws enacted in AFSP's top priority areas. Updated: February 2024.
Kentucky suicide prevention plans and initiatives
In 2013, the state suicide prevention staff for the Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DBHDID) established the Suicide Prevention Consortium of Kentucky (SPCK) to bring together community leaders, health professionals, survivors, and all who are dedicated to stopping suicide deaths in Kentucky. The SPCK is open to the public and is currently supported by a state Suicide Prevention Coordinator within DBHDID. The Kentucky Suicide Prevention Group was established by the Kentucky’s Division of Mental Health.
Kentucky laws
Key:
- Required by law
- Encouraged by law
- No law in place
Crisis lines and 988 implementation
- Addresses 988 infrastructure and provides for telecom user fee
- Addresses 988 infrastructure but does not include telecom user fee
- 988 law limited to creating an exploratory commission, advisory committee, or task force
Mental health parity
- Public health plans (e.g., Medicaid) regularly submit parity compliance analyses to state regulators
- Private health plans (individual and group) regularly submit parity compliance analyses to state regulators
K – 12 school suicide prevention
- Inclusion of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and/or other crisis line(s) on student ID cards
- Student allowances for excused mental health absences
- School personnel must report student suicide risk to a parent and/or guardian
- Suicide prevention and/or mental health training for certain school personnel, annual
- Suicide prevention and/or mental health training for certain school personnel, not annual
- Suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention policies/programming
- Student education on suicide prevention
Health professional training in suicide assessment, treatment and management
- Mental health professionals receive regular training
- Mental health professionals receive one time training
- Medical/surgical professionals receive regular training
- Medical/surgical professionals receive one time training
Conversion therapy bans
- Prohibits licensed/board certified mental health providers from engaging in conversion therapy with minors under 18 years of age
- Prohibits licensed/board certified mental health providers from engaging in conversion therapy with vulnerable adults
- Prohibits use of state funds for any purpose related to conversion therapy (e.g., conducting, making a referral for, or extending health benefits coverage for)
University and college campus suicide prevention
- Inclusion of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and/or other crisis line(s) on student ID cards
- Students receive information on available mental health and/or suicide prevention services and/or resources
- Adoption of suicide prevention/awareness policy or program
Advocate for suicide prevention
Learn how our volunteer Field Advocates are helping to pass suicide prevention legislation and policies that can save lives