Crisis Textline: Crisis Text Line serves anyone, in any type of crisis, providing access to free, 24/7 support via a medium people already use and trust: text.

 

Jason Foundation: You can make a difference and fight the Silent Epidemic of youth suicide.

 

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: "We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals."

 

Rascal Flatts B1 Project: B1 is designed to be quick, informative, and target the most important aspects of youth suicide prevention. 

  

Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE): Suicide can be prevented and SAVE is here to help.

Community Card for Parent

 

Crisis Textline: Crisis Text Line serves anyone, in any type of crisis, providing access to free, 24/7 support via a medium people already use and trust: text.

 

Jason Foundation: You can make a difference and fight the Silent Epidemic of youth suicide.

 

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: "We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals."

 

Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE): Suicide can be prevented and SAVE is here to help.

 

Suicide Prevention Resource Center: We all have a role to play. Together, we save lives.

Community Card for Teachers Ask your students; Care for your students; Escort your students

  

Jason Foundation: Free tranining modules that have been designed and produced to provide you with valuable information to help prevent youth suicide.

 

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: "We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals."

 

Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE): Suicide can be prevented and SAVE is here to help.

 

Suicide Prevention Resource Center: We all have a role to play. Together, we save lives.

Why did he /she die by suicide? We are never going to know the answer to that question as the answer has died with him/her. The focus needs to be on helping students with their thoughts and feelings and everyone in the school community working together to prevent future suicides.

 

What method did they use to end their life? It is generally best not to state the method but it is especially important not go into explicit details such as what was the type of gun or rope used or the condition of the body etc.

 

Why didn’t God stop him/her? There are varying religious beliefs about suicide and you are all free to have your own beliefs. However, many religious leaders have used the expression” God sounded the alarm but could not stop him/her. God has embraced them yes, and he/she is in whatever afterlife you believe in, but God is actually saddened that he/she did not stay on this earth and do God’s work over their natural lifetime.”

 

What should I say about him/her now that they have made the choice to die by suicide? It is important that we remember the positive things about them and to respect their privacy and that of their family. Please be sensitive to the needs of their close friends and family members.

 

Didn’t he/she make a poor choice and is it okay to be angry with them? They did make a very poor choice and research has found that many young people who survived a suicide attempt are very glad to be alive and never attempted suicide again. You have permission for any and all your feelings in the aftermath of suicide and it is okay to be angry with them.

 

The suicide of a young person has been compared to throwing a rock into a pond with ripple effects in the school, church and the community and there is often a search for a simple explanation. These ripple effects have never been greater with the existence of social networks (e.g. Facebook). It is recommended that school staff and parents monitor what is being posted on social networks sites in the aftermath of a suicide. Suicide is a multifaceted event and sociological, psychological, biological, and physiological elements were all present to some degree. The suicide is no one’s fault but yet is everyone’s fault and suicide prevention is everyone’s responsibility. Many individuals who died by suicide had untreated mental illnesses, most likely depression and it is important that everyone is aware of resources that are available in their school and community so that needed treatment can be obtained. It is always important that everyone knows the warning signs of suicide and they are outlined in great detail on websites references in this handout.

 

Isn’t someone or something to blame for this suicide? The suicide victim made a very poor choice and there is no one to blame. The decision to die by suicide involved every interaction and experience throughout the young person’s entire life up until the moment they died and yet it did not have to happen. It is the fault of no one.  No one person, no one thing is ever to blame.

 

How can I cope with this suicide? It is important to remember what or who has helped you cope when you have had to deal with sad things in your life before. Please turn to the important adults in your life for help and share your feelings with them. It is important to maintain normal routines, proper sleeping and eating habits and to engage in regular exercise. Please avoid drugs and alcohol. Resiliency, which is the ability to bounce back from adversity, is a learned behavior. Everyone does the best when surrounded by friends and family who care about us and by viewing the future in a positive manner.

 

What is an appropriate memorial to a suicide victim? The most appropriate memorial is a living one such as a scholarship fund or contributions to support suicide prevention. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention www.asfsp.org and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center www.sprc.org first published in 2011 and revised in 2018, an excellent guide for postvention entitled, After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools, that is available on both of their websites. The guide provides specific guidelines to balance the often felt needs that students have to do something after a suicide without glorifying the suicide victim which might contribute to other teenagers considering suicide.

 

How serious is the problem of youth suicide? In 2017, suicide was the second leading cause of death for teenagers and the ninth leading cause of death for all Americans.  More than 45,000 Americans, including over 2000 school age youth die by suicide annually and suicide rates have increased for Americans but most notably for middle school age girls. Many young people think about suicide. The National Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBSS) for 2017 found that 31.5% of high school students reported feeling sad or hopeless for two weeks or more in the last year an increase from 2015 results and 17.2% of high school students reported seriously considering suicide a decrease from 2015 and 7.4% of high school students actually made a suicide attempt in the last year a decrease from 2015. Ninth grade students are the most at risk. National research has found that talking with youth about suicide does not cause them to think of it and in fact provides the opportunity for them to relieve anxiety and unburden themselves.

 

What are the warning signs of suicide? The most common signs are the following: making a suicide attempt, verbal and written statements about death and suicide, fascination and preoccupation with death, giving away of prized possessions, saying goodbye to friends and family, making out wills, being overwhelmed and exhibiting dramatic changes in behavior and personality.

 

What should I do if I believe someone to be suicidal? Listen to them, support them and let them know that they are not the first person to feels this way. There is help available and mental health professionals such as counselors and psychologists have special training to help young people who are suicidal. Do not keep a secret about suicidal behavior and save a life by getting adult help as that is what a good friend does and someday your friend will thank you.

 

How does the crisis hotline work? We are very fortunate to have nationally certified crisis hotlines in many cities that are available 24 hours a day and manned by trained volunteers. There is also a 24 hour national suicide hotline and that can be reached via 1-800-Suicide or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). In addition many young people today are utilizing the Crisis Text line www.crisistextline.org

 

How can I make a difference in suicide prevention? Know the warnings signs, listen to your friends carefully, do not hesitate to get adult help and, remember that most youth suicides can be prevented and become aware of ways to get involved with suicide prevention. High school students can volunteer in some cities and be trained to answer the Teenline. Please, contact the local Crisis Hotline for more information. One person can make the difference and prevent a suicide!

 

Where can I go for more information about preventing suicide? Contact the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) at www.suicidology.org or the Jason Foundation at www.jasonfoundation.com

Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program at www.yellowribbon.org  American Foundation for Suicide Prevention www.afsp.org 

Suicide Prevention Resource Center at www.sprc.org 

Nova Southeastern University at www.nova.edu/suicideprevention as our three training videos focus on suicide awareness, suicide assessment and postvention in schools.

 

How well do families who lost a child to suicide cope with the loss? The literature well documents the devastating affect of suicide on the family and that family members often feel isolated. Research studies conducted 15 months after the suicide indicate that the families have resumed normal functioning, however they are profoundly affected especially when there is little explanation for the suicide of their loved one. Family members may experience anger towards those they believe are somehow responsible, loss of interest in their employment or school work, increased absences, disrupted sleeping and eating patterns, grief, helplessness, abandonment, isolation, loneliness, shame and guilt. Suicide survivors have more difficulty with the grieving process than survivors of losses from other causes than suicide. Survivors often reported feeling uncomfortable with the naturally occurring support systems and school and community members often are unsure of what to say and how to reach out to those who lost a family member to suicide.

 

If a family member has a pre-existing mental health condition it will likely be exacerbated and substance abuse will increase. Families reported receiving less support that they deemed necessary and what support they did receive was often poorly timed and especially ineffective for younger siblings. Research studies have also found that approximately 50% of the time that children were not told the truth, that the cause of death was suicide. Children often find out the truth at a latter date and are upset that they were not told the truth. Bereavement was complicated when family members had deeply religious beliefs and moral convictions against suicide. Family physicians and school personnel who are knowledgeable about helping survivors cope and available community resources can play a significant role in supporting the grieving family. Family members often receive comfort and find meaning in becoming involved in suicide prevention.

 

Scott Poland EdD, NCSP is the Co-Director of the Suicide and Violence Prevention Office at Nova Southeastern University www.nova.edu/suicideprevention and has over 30 years of school experience. He was previously the Prevention Division Director for AAS and has worked in the aftermath of many youth suicides and has led numerous teams following suicide clusters. He is the author of five books and numerous chapters and articles on the subjects of youth suicide and school crisis. He is the co-author of a 2015 book entitled, Suicide in schools published by Routledge. He has also provided U.S. Congressional testimony on several occasions focused on school violence and youth suicide prevention.

 

Richard Lieberman MA, NCSP is a Lecturer in the Graduate School of Education at Loyola Marymount University and from 1986-2011 he coordinated Suicide Prevention Services for Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school district in the US.  He has co-authored numerous book chapters on suicide intervention in the schools; consulted nationally with districts experiencing suicide clusters; served on the Steering Committee for the Suicide Prevention Resource Center and contributed to both the SAMHSA Preventing Suicide and SPRC/AFSP After a Suicide school toolkits.