Suicidal Prevention and Intervention

Sources of Strength
Sources of Strength is an evidence-based suicide prevention and health promotion program that trains student leaders to make positive changes in their school culture. School staff are trained as Adult Advisors before a diverse group of students are nominated to participate in a four hour training led by a nationally certified trainer. Sources of Strength peer leaders create projects for the entire student body to engage in naming Trusted Adults within the school. Students also participate in activities that encourage strength and wellness in an effort to increase help seeking and a positive school climate.

Signs of Suicide

The Signs of Suicide Signs of Suicide Prevention Program is a universal, school-based depression awareness and suicide prevention program designed for middle-school (ages 11–13) or high-school (ages 13–17) students. The goals are to:

1) Decrease suicide and suicide attempts by increasing student knowledge and adaptive attitudes about depression
2) Encourage personal help-seeking and/or help-seeking on behalf of a friend
3) Reduce the stigma of mental illness and acknowledge the importance of seeking help or treatment
4) Engage parents and school staff as partners in prevention through “gatekeeper” education, and
5) Encourage schools to develop community-based partnerships to support student mental health.

Students will watch a series of brief educational videos and participate in a guided discussion about suicide and what to do if they are concerned about themselves or a friend.

All videos contain age-appropriate dramatizations of students demonstrating common signs of suicide along with the right and wrong ways to respond using the ACT technique (Acknowledge, Care, Tell). Younger students watch dramatizations, roundtable discussion, and learn from experts, while older students also see real-life stories from young adults who have sought help and who share their journeys of recovery.

http://www.mindwise.org/parents/

Resources:

• http://988lifeline.org – 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
• http://www.sprc.org/ – Suicide Prevention Resource Center
• http://www.spanusa.org/ – Suicide Prevention Action Network
• http://www.afsp.org/ – American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• https://thesummitwellnessgroup.com/resources/suicide-prevention/ – Suicide Prevention Resources Guide

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