5350 - SUICIDE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION
The Superintendent should ensure every building in the Corporation has access to a plan that covers suicide prevention, awareness, access to training/learning resources, referrals, intervention (counseling resources) and postvention (support after an attempt or suicide). The plan should be reviewed and promoted annually.
Research has shown that talking about suicide or asking students if they are thinking about suicide will not put the idea in their heads or cause them to kill themselves. Given the widespread stigma around suicide, most people who are contemplating suicide do not know with whom to speak. By talking openly and being available to students, school personnel may be able to help an individual see that there are other options and/or give the student time to rethink his/her decision, thereby preventing suicide. The Superintendent should designate which licensed employees are qualified to talk to an individual who displays risk factors for suicide and/or self-harm. These designated licensed employees should be accessible, and their contact information should be available.
Risk Factors
A student who is defined as high risk for suicide is one who has made a previous suicide attempt, has the intent to die by suicide, or has displayed a significant change in behavior suggesting the onset or deterioration of a mental health condition. The student may have thought about suicide including potential means of death and may have a plan. In addition, the student may exhibit feelings of isolation, hopelessness, helplessness, and the inability to tolerate any more pain. This situation would necessitate a referral, as documented in the following procedures. *Another important risk factor to note is if a student has had a parent/guardian die by suicide.
Suicide is preventable; therefore, we can take steps toward decreasing the odds of a suicide attempt.
Increasing student and community awareness might include posting resources in locations around the school, on social media, in student handbooks, etc. Ease of access and reducing the stigma of reaching out for help are important steps towards preventing suicide. Resources might include the following:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255);
- Text options, such as Families First (text CSIS to 839863) or Mental Health America of Tippecanoe (call or text Safe2Talk to 765-742-0244), and
- Any additional supportive resources within the school and local community.
Assessments
A corporation-approved suicide assessment may be utilized by trained mental health staff, such as School Counselors, School Social Workers, or School Psychologists. It is recommended that at least three school personnel are trained to screen for the level of risk for imminent harm. It is important to ensure that all School Counselors, School Social Workers, School Nurses, and School Psychologists have the necessary training in suicide risk assessment and screening before assigning this responsibility to their role.
Suicide Screening vs. Suicide Assessment
Suicide prevention experts usually use the term suicide screening to refer to a procedure in which a standardized instrument or protocol is used to identify individuals who may be at risk for suicide. Suicide screening can be done independently or as a part of a more comprehensive health or behavioral health screening. Screening may be done orally (with the screener asking questions), with paper and pencil, or using a computer. Suicide assessment usually refers to a more comprehensive evaluation done by a School Counselor/School Social Worker/mental health counselor to confirm suspected suicide risk, estimate the immediate danger to the student, and decide on a course of action. Although assessments can involve structured questionnaires, they also can include a more open-ended conversation with a student, friends, teachers, and/or family to gain insight into the student’s thoughts and behaviors, risk factors (e.g. 11 access to lethal means or a history of suicide attempts), protective factors (e.g., immediate family support), and medical and mental health history.
Suicide Intervention Process
The School Board directs that any time a staff member encounters a situation in which a student appears to be contemplating committing suicide, the following process should be followed carefully.
Step One - Stabilize the Situation
Under no circumstances is a suicidal student to be left alone.
Converse with the student immediately to determine if they have any dangerous instrumentalities (weapon, substance, or other material capable of inflicting a mortal wound) on or near their person.
If the student will allow, immediately remove any dangerous instrumentalities from the student and the student's environment.
If the student will agree, accompany them to a prearranged, non-threatening place away from other students and other people but where there is another adult and a telephone nearby. If the principal can be notified without leaving the student, do so as quickly as possible. If the student will not agree, stay calm and remain with them until someone comes by.
Either the Principal (if available) or the staff member should proceed to Step Two without delay.
Step Two - Assess the Risk
Stay relaxed and talk calmly to the student to assess the risk of the student harming themselves. Listen intently to what the student is saying and avoid giving advice. Keep questions nonjudgmental.
If the student will not relinquish a dangerous instrumentality, use EXTREME RISK PROCEDURE (Step Three A).
If the student is in imminent danger of harming themselves, but is not in possession of a dangerous instrumentality, use SEVERE RISK PROCEDURE (Step Three B).
If the student is not in imminent danger of harming themselves, use MODERATE RISK PROCEDURE (Step Three C).
Step Three - Take Appropriate Action Based on the Risk
EXTREME RISK PROCEDURE
Contact the police or Department of Child Services (DCS).
Keep the student engaged in conversation and reassure them until the police arrive.
After the police arrive, and if good rapport has been established with the student, remain present to provide continuity and support as the police attempt to get the student to relinquish the dangerous instrumentality.
Contact the student's parents and inform them of what has transpired and the actions being taken.
SEVERE RISK PROCEDURE
Contact the school counselor, social worker, special education teacher (if applicable) or School Resource Officer.
Keep the student engaged in conversation and reassure them until the above individual arrives.
Determine if the student's distress is the result of parental abuse, neglect, or exploitation. If so, notify the Department of Child Services (DCS) immediately, give them the facts, request them to intervene, and follow their instructions. If a crime has been committed, also contact the local police.
Contact the student’s parents.
If DCS does not intervene or the parents do not arrive to pick up the student before the end of the school day and the student remains agitated despite discussion with the school counselor, social worker, special education teacher or other individual listed above, call the local emergency medical responders.
MODERATE RISK PROCEDURE
Try to determine the reason(s) for the student's distress. Contact the parents, give them the facts, and ask them to come to the school right away.
Assist the parents in making contact with an agency or resource person who can provide appropriate intervention.
Step Four – Communicate with Appropriate Parties
Inform the appropriate members of the Corporation staff such as the Counseling Team, of the facts and the actions being taken. Alert them that they may need to observe the Corporation's confidentiality requirements (AG 2411 - Guidance and Counseling), although the occurrence was not something that developed during counseling.
- If the parents request, inform the student's close friends of the facts and the actions being taken.
Step Five - Follow-Up
Determine the extent to which emergency or short-term procedures were completed properly.
Find out if arrangements have been made for long-term clinical and/or support services.
If neither short-term procedures nor long-term services were conducted or pursued properly, consult with the Superintendent to determine appropriate action.
Maintain continuing contact with the student to communicate interest in their welfare and support of the long-term services being provided.
Remain alert to the possibility of "copy-cat" suicide attempts by other students.
Evaluate steps A - E.
Re-Entry Procedure
For students returning to school after a mental health crisis (e.g., suicide attempt or psychiatric hospitalization), a school employed mental health professional, if the School Corporation employs one, or a contracted mental health professional and the Principal will meet with the student’s parent or guardian, and if appropriate, meet with the student to discuss re-entry and appropriate next steps to assess the student’s readiness for and facilitate their return to school.
A school-employed mental health professional or other designee will be identified to coordinate with the student, their parent or guardian, and any outside mental health care providers.
The parent or guardian will provide documentation from a mental health care provider that the student has undergone examination and that they are no longer a danger to themselves or others.
The designated staff person will periodically check in with student to help the student readjust to the school community and address any ongoing concerns.
(See the following related policies: Policy 5531 - Student Assistance Programs and Policy 8410 - Crisis Intervention)
SUICIDE POSTVENTION PROCESS
If, in spite of all intervention efforts, a suicide should occur, implement the Corporation's Crisis Intervention Plan.
If additional guidance is needed, contact the American Association of Suicidology, 5221 Wisconsin Avenue N.W., 2nd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20015. (202) 237-2280.
Suicide Awareness and Prevention and Violence Prevention
Evidence-based programs in suicide awareness and prevention and violence prevention should address the following:
- how to instruct school personnel to identify the signs and symptoms of depression, suicide and self-harm in students;
- how to instruct students to identify the signs and symptoms of depression, suicide and self-harm in their peers;
- how to identify appropriate mental health services within schools and larger communities and when and how to refer youth and their families to those services;
- how to teach students about mental health and depression, warning signs of suicide and the importance of and processes for seeking help on behalf of self and peers and reporting of these behaviors;
- how to identify observable warning signs and signals of individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others;
- the importance of taking threats seriously and seeking help; and
- how students can report dangerous, violent, threatening, harmful, or potentially harmful activity, including the use of the Corporation's chosen anonymous reporting program.
Social Inclusion
Evidence-based programs in social inclusion to address the following:
- what social isolation is and how to identify it in others;
- what social inclusion is and the importance of establishing connections with peers;
- when and how to seek help for peers who may be socially isolated; and
- how to utilize strategies for more social inclusion in classrooms and the school.
Threat Assessment Teams and Training
The Corporation has a threat assessment team for each school building in the Corporation serving grades 6 through 12 see Policy 8400 - School Safety). Upon appointment and once every three years thereafter, each team member must complete an approved threat assessment training program. Each team must be multidisciplinary, when possible, and may include school administrators, mental health professionals, school resource officers and other necessary personnel.
Resources
Several organizations provide resources in developing and implementing suicide prevention and response protocols.
Indiana Department of Education-Suicide Prevention Training
https://www.in.gov/doe/educators/educator-licensing/suicide-prevention-training/
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Indiana’s State Suicide Prevention Plan
https://www.in.gov/issp/files/5721-Suicide-Prevention-Tool_Fillable.pdf
Indiana Suicide Prevention Resources Toolkit
Revised 12/12/17
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