(1) Subject to availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the suicide prevention in higher education grant program is established. The purpose of the grant program is to provide funding to postsecondary institutions for the institutions to create partnerships with health care entities to provide mental health, behavioral health, and suicide prevention to students in their institutions.

(2)(a) The council shall administer the grant program in accordance with this section and in collaboration with the work group convened by the entity within the University of Washington school of social work specified under RCW 28B.20.510. The council shall establish minimum criteria that grant recipients must meet to be awarded a grant. The grant program must be implemented by November 1, 2019.

(b) The council must award the first six grants created under this section to public institutions of higher education. When selecting the recipients of the first six grants under this subsection, the council must consult with the state board for community and technical colleges. The council must identify which public institutions of higher education have the greatest need, have a clear and strong demonstration of willingness from leadership to utilize the statewide resources created under RCW 28B.20.510, and can develop partnerships to enhance capacity. From those identified public institutions of higher education, proposals that enhance treatment services to student veterans must be given priority. Once the first six grants are awarded, the council may award grants to other postsecondary institutions that meet the council's criteria.

(3) For the purposes of this section, "postsecondary institutions" means institutions of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016, degree-granting institutions as defined in RCW 28B.85.010, private vocational schools as defined under RCW 28C.10.020, and school as defined in RCW 18.16.020.

Intent—Findings—2018 c 293: See note following RCW 28B.20.510.