Assemblymember Berman champions suicide prevention training

AB 2003 would permanently provide free online program statewide

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) has introduced legislation to permanently provide free online suicide prevention training statewide. The training would be available to all K-12 students, teachers, administrators, and parents in California, building on a previous program that reached over 20,000 middle and high school students and staff.

Why it matters

Suicide remains the second-leading cause of death for youth ages 10-25 in California, and rates have increased over the last two decades. This legislation aims to provide lifesaving suicide prevention training and data-driven interventions to address this critical public health issue.

The details

AB 2003 will ensure that data from suicide risk screenings are made available to help identify trends and disparities, inform targeted interventions, and strengthen suicide prevention strategies across California. While many schools currently conduct these screenings, the results are not systematically shared, creating gaps in understanding student needs and limiting the development of effective, targeted support.

  • Assemblymember Berman introduced AB 2003 on February 17, 2026.
  • The previous online suicide prevention training program was offered to middle and high school students and staff from June 2020 to December 2024.

The players

Marc Berman

A Democratic Assemblymember representing California's 23rd district, which includes Campbell. Berman introduced AB 2003 to permanently provide free online suicide prevention training statewide.

Commission for Behavioral Health

Berman partnered with this commission on AB 2003, which builds on a previous online suicide prevention training program.

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What they’re saying

“Too many communities across California have been devastated by youth suicides, including my hometown of Palo Alto. We must do everything we possibly can to prevent these tragedies.”

— Marc Berman, Assemblymember (mercurynews.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This legislation highlights the urgent need to address the rising rates of youth suicide in California and provides a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention through training, data-driven interventions, and strengthening support systems in schools and communities.