Suicide Prevention & Intervention Recommendations
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, suicide is the second leading cause of death among children and adolescents. Approximately 17% of teens reported thinking about suicide in the past year. For these reasons, many schools are searching for ways to prevent suicide and support students after a suicide-related crisis. Here you will find recommendations for evidence-based programs and research-based interventions to support students' mental health.
Suicide Prevention
Suicide prevention strategies are Tier 1 universal strategies that benefit all students including:
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Teacher training on risk factors, signs of mental health crisis, and procedures for handling students who express suicidal ideation, self-injury, or other mental health concerns.
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Youth suicide prevention initiatives that are age-appropriate and focus on improving school climate through building coping skills, healthier relationships, and increasing help-seeking behaviors.
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Evidence-based elementary school programs:
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Evidence-based middle school & high school programs:
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Suicide Intervention
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When a student is identified as potentially suicidal by a peer, teacher, or other staff member the student should immediately be assessed by a school-based clinician or mental health professional. The parent/guardian shall also be contacted and informed.
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Depending on the severity of the clinician's assessment the parent will be referred to the appropriate level of care such as:
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outpatient mental health services, pediatrician, mobile crisis response
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the nearest emergency department when the child's safety is a concern in cases of active suicide with intent, plan, and means.
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​The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale is a helpful tool for determining the correct referral.
Dr. Marraccini introduces how schools can both prevent suicide and intervene after a child has experienced a mental health crisis. (3m 5s)
Dr. Marraccini discusses important aspects of supporting a student's re-entry to school after a hospitalization for suicidal thoughts or behaviors. (2m56s)
Re-entry to School
Schools may play a critical role in supporting youth mental health post-hospitalization. Approximately 1/3 of youth will be re-hospitalized within one year with the highest risk being the first three months (Czyz et al., 2016). The following are best practices and guidelines schools can implement:
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Develop a reintegration protocol that identifies a point person in the school for parents and hospitals to contact when a student is hospitalized.
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Establish contact as soon as possible to build support and open communication between the school and family.
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Hold a re-entry meeting with the student and the parent(s)/guardian. This meeting should include the point person, an administrator, and any other school members who may support the student's re-entry to school. During this meeting, a plan will be developed unique to the student's academic and mental health needs.
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Identify ways to build the student's connection with school, peers, teachers, and extracurriculars. Connection is a protective factor for preventing suicidal thoughts and behaviors.