Florida School Toolkit for K-12 Educators to Prevent Suicide

• S chool personnel are encouraged to monitor social media after a suicide occurs, as vulnerable youth often connect with each other online, and learn about safe messaging. • School personnel often consider postponing previously scheduled suicide prevention programs if a suicide has occurred, but prevention information is needed more than ever as suicide postvention focuses on prevention of further suicides. • S chools are often reluctant to implement depression-screening programs that are available for middle and high school students. Depression screening provides students the opportunity to identify symptoms of depression and encourages them to seek adult help for themselves or a friend. The Signs of Suicide (SOS) program includes empowering videos where students learn how to help themselves—or their friends— through ACT (acknowledge, care, and tell an adult). Detailed information about SOS can be found at mindwise.org . • 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. The Jason Flatt Act, which focuses on mandated training annually for school staff on suicide prevention, has been passed in approximately 30 percent of all states. More information about the Jason Foundation is available at jasonfoundation.com. • M ajor protective factors identified by the World Health Organization are the following: stable families, positive connections at school, good connections with other youth, religious involvement, lack of access to lethal weapons, access to mental health care, and awareness of crisis hotline resources. Commonly Asked Questions and Appropriate Responses Why did he or she die by suicide? We are never going to know the answer to that question as the answer has died with him or her. The focus needs to be on helping students with their thoughts and feelings and on 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, the condition of the body, etc. Why didn’t God stop him or 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 or her. God has embraced them, yes, and he or she is in whatever afterlife you believe in, but God is actually saddened that he or she did not stay on this earth and do God’s work over his or her natural lifetime.” What should I say about them 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 they make a poor choice and is it okay to be angry with them? They did make a very poor choice. 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—feelings in the aftermath of suicide, and it is okay to be angry. Florida S.T.E.P.S.