
Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools was funded by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to help high schools, school districts, and their partners design and implement strategies to prevent suicide and promote behavioral health among their students. The information and tools in this toolkit will help schools and their partners.
Suicide prevention efforts in high schools are usually led by school counselors, mental health professionals, or social workers. But it is important to remember that no one—not the principal, not the counselor, and not the most passionate and involved parent—can establish effective suicide prevention strategies alone. The participation, support, and active involvement of others in the school and community are essential for success.
Introduction 7
Chapter 1: Getting Started 15
Getting Started Tools 23
Tool 1.A: Suicide Prevention: Facts for Schools 24
Tool 1.B: Chart of School Staff Responsibilities 28
Tool 1.C: Chart of Community Partners 30
Tool 1.D: Risk and Protective Factors and Warning Signs Factsheets 32
Tool 1.E: Data on Youth Suicide 43
Tool 1.F: Suicide and Substance Abuse Information Sheet 45
Tool 1.G: Suicide and Bullying Information Sheet 47
Tool 1.H: The Implications of Culture on Suicide Prevention Information Sheet 50
Tool 1.I: Checklist of Suicide Prevention Activities 52
Tool 1.J: Matrix of School-Based Suicide Prevention Programs 54
Tool 1.K: Suicide Prevention Registries Information Sheet 56
Chapter 2: Protocols for Helping Students at Risk of Suicide 57
Protocols for Helping Students at Risk of Suicide Tools 67
Tool 2.A: Questions for Mental Health Providers.. 68
Tool 2.B: Protocol for Helping a Student at Risk of Suicide 69
Tool 2.B.1: Suicide Risk Assessment Resources 70
Tool 2.B.2: Self-Injury and Suicide Risk Information Sheet 71
Tool 2.B.3 Guidelines for Notifying Parents 72
Tool 2.B.4: Parent Contact Acknowledgement Form 74
Tool 2.B.5: Guidelines for Student Referrals 75
Tool 2.B.6: Student Suicide Risk Documentation Form. 76
Tool 2.C: Protocol for Responding to a Student Suicide Attempt 79
Tool 2.D: Guidelines for Facilitating a Student’s Return to School 80
Chapter 3: After a Suicide 83
After a Suicide Tools 92
Tool 3.A: Immediate Response Protocol 93
Tool 3.A.1: Sample Script for Office Staff 96
Tool 3.A.2: Sources of Postvention Consultation 97
Tool 3.A.3: Guidelines for Working with the Family 98
Tool 3.A.4: Guidelines for Notifying Staff 99
Tool 3.A.5: Sample Announcements. 100
Tool 3.A.6: Sample Letter to Families 103
Tool 3.A.7: Talking Points for Students and Staff after a Suicide 104
Tool 3.A.8: Guidelines for Memorialization 105
Tool 3.A.9: Guidelines for Working with the Media 107
Tool 3.B: Long-Term Response Protocol 108
Tool 3.B.1: Guidelines for Anniversaries of a Death 109
Chapter 4: Staff Education and Training 111
Staff Education and Training Tools 119
Tool 4.A: Matrix of Staff Education and Training Programs 120
Chapter 5: Parent/Guardian Education and Outreach 125
Parent/Guardian Education and Outreach Tools 133
Tool 5.A: Parent/Guardian Education and Outreach Programs 134
Tool 5.B: Suicide Prevention and Schools: Facts for Parents 136
Chapter 6: Student Programs 139
Student Programs Tools 149
Tool 6.A: Types of Student Programs Information Sheet150
Tool 6.B: Matrix of Student Programs152
Chapter 7: Screening 157
Screening Tools 166
Tool 7.A: Matrix of Screening Programs 167
Tool 7.B: Ideas for Maximizing Parental Response Rate 168
Resources 173
Handouts 209
Contributors 229
Administrtors in high schools, students, parents, individuals with suicide and other lifethreatening helath issues, state and local educational officials responsibble for community health issues.
Product Details
- SMA 12 4669
- Suicide
- Toolkit for High Schools
- High Schools