The Alaska House Finance Committee voted Wednesday to advance legislation requiring development of mental health education guidelines for public schools, the third time the measure has come before the panel.

Senate Bill 41 directs the state Board of Education to create age-appropriate mental health instruction guidelines in consultation with the Department of Health, Department of Family and Community Services, tribal health organizations, and state and national mental health groups. The bill passed out of committee without objection after a brief hearing that included testimony from youth advocates and suicide prevention organizations.

The legislation comes as Alaska faces the nation's highest youth suicide rate. In 2023, the suicide rate among Alaskans ages 10 through 24 reached 42.3 deaths per 100,000 — nearly double the national average. Rural communities see rates two to three times higher than urban areas.

"Alaska's youth face the highest suicide rate in the nation," said Senator an unnamed participant, the bill's sponsor. "These realities highlight the importance of providing students with early education and support around mental health so they can build awareness about their well-being."

The bill does not mandate a specific curriculum. Instead, it establishes a framework for schools to develop mental health instruction similar to physical health education. School districts would have discretion over whether to adopt the guidelines once developed.

Parents would receive at least two weeks' notice before any mental health instruction is provided to their children. The Board of Education would submit a report to the legislature within two years outlining the guidelines and how they were developed.

Mackenzie Englishoo, youth advisor to the Tanana Chiefs Conference Executive Board, told the committee that many young people lack the language to describe what they are feeling. "Students don't have the language or the education to describe what's going on with their own bodies and in their own mental health," said Englishoo, who chairs the Emerging Leaders Youth Advisory Council representing 42 communities.

James Biela, vice chair of national public policy for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and a school social worker in Bethel, described a surge in youth suicides in the Lower Kuskokwim region. Since July 2025, eight young people between ages 15 and 17 have died by suicide in the region.

"All eight of those youths had severe trauma ranging from sexual, physical abuse to finding their loved one who died by suicide," said Biela. "They did not understand how this trauma affected their mental health."

Trevor Storrs, president and CEO of Alaska Children's Trust, cited state data showing two out of every five Alaska high school students report feeling persistently sad or hopeless for an extended period — a nearly 60 percent increase over the past decade. In 2023, 24 percent of high school students reported having planned a suicide attempt in the previous year.

"Just as we don't wait for a child to get sick before teaching them about physical health, we shouldn't wait for a crisis before teaching them about mental wellness," said Storrs.

The bill includes a fiscal note from the Department of Education and Early Development totaling $216,000 in unrestricted general funds. The funding would cover travel costs for up to 30 committee members to meet twice annually, a facilitator to oversee implementation, and stipends for participants. Fiscal notes from the Department of Health and Department of Family and Community Services showed zero impact.

Representative an unnamed participant, who sponsored a companion bill last year, reminded listeners that anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts can reach the suicide prevention hotline by dialing or texting 988.

The committee received letters of support from organizations including the National Alliance on Mental Illness Alaska, Volunteers of America Alaska, Alaska Children's Trust, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Alaska chapter. Letters also came from rural communities including Toksook Bay.

One letter of opposition came from the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, an out-of-state organization. Committee members questioned the credibility of the group's concerns.

Senate Bill 41 is identical to House Bill 105, which Representative Galvin introduced last session. The Senate version was amended several years ago to add the parental notification requirement.

The bill now moves to the House floor for consideration.