Florida School Toolkit for K-12 Educators to Prevent Suicide

Assessment Procedures for the Suicidal Student A brief synopsis of recommended assessment procedures is described herein with additional tools provided in the appendices. Key tools include a Checklist for Reentry After Hospitalization, Sample Safety Plan, Sample Parent Notification Form, Sample Risk Assessment Forms, Student Suicide Risk Report, and Understanding the Florida Baker Act. Factors and Questions for Schools to Consider When Conducting a Suicide Assessment Schools cannot treat suicidal students. Treatment must be obtained in the community. The school day is only approximately 7.5 hours and school mental health professionals—such as counselors, psychologists, and social workers—have a ratio of one professional to several hundred or even several thousand students. The school’s role is to make an initial assessment and is not intended to substitute for an extensive clinical suicide assessment by a community- or hospital-based professional. The school assessment of low, medium, or high risk is to determine the level of needed supervision for the student and the urgency for parent notification and, in some cases, notification of law enforcement and or mobile crisis teams.When conducting an assessment, the inquiry must be direct and rapport established with the student. Direct inquiry will not plant an idea in the mind of a student! Students are often ambivalent about suicide. One minute they may want to die, but the next minute there is a glimmer of hope and they want to live. Many students after being questioned about suicidal thoughts have felt relieved. Peers often are the ones who become aware that a friend is suicidal, so peer reports must be taken seriously. Assessing students for suicidality results in considerable anxiety for the school personnel conducting the evaluation, and it is ideal to consult with a colleague during the process. Consultation can be obtained by asking another staff member to sit with the student in question while the SMHP makes a call to a colleague or supervisor for support and guidance. It is very important for the Florida schools to provide training on suicide assessment for key personnel such as school counselors, and that training should include observing a role play of assessing suicide risk with a student (Tool 15a) and a role play of parent notification (Tool 15b) of their child’s suicidal thoughts and/or behavior and referral to community based services. It is suggested that counselors, after observing role-play conduct, do a role-play exercise with another staff member to increase their confidence. It is also very important that counselors know how to take care of themselves emotionally. Tips for caregivers on managing their personal stress are in Tool 27. 27