Florida School Toolkit for K-12 Educators to Prevent Suicide

I. Prevention S chool staff members will include the following: teachers, administrators, counselors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, secretaries, custodians, bus drivers, and cafeteria workers who are trained annually on suicide prevention. The training will include warning signs and commonly held myths. These key school personnel need to know the district referral procedures when a student is suspected of being suicidal. All educators have a responsibility to work together to prevent youth suicide, and youth suicide is largely the result of untreated or undertreated mental illness. Youth suicide prevention is a shared responsibility between schools and the community, and good training and planning in schools will decrease the stigma surrounding suicide and result in suicidal students being identified. II. Intervention T he district or school provides training for key personnel such as counselors, psychologists, nurses, and social workers on conducting a suicide assessment for students suspected of being at risk for suicide. In accordance with recommendations provided by suicide prevention experts, risk assessment includes parent notification and referral for community-based mental health services, even if the suicide risk level is rated low. Parent notification will be documented, using forms in the Florida S.T.E.P.S. Follow-up services and monitoring at school will be provided for all students suspected of being suicidal regardless of the risk level. A reentry meeting will be conducted for any student returning from hospitalization. III. Postvention I f the suicide of a student occurs, it is recognized as a challenging and sad time for schools. The best practices postvention procedures outlined in the Florida S.T.E.P.S. and the After a Suicide: Toolkit for Schools (2018) from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention ( afsp.org ) and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center ( sprc.org ) will be utilized to guide all school and district efforts to support staff, students, and parents with their shock, grief, and confusion. The district recognizes after a suicide there are increasing numbers of students who will have thoughts of suicide and following postvention best practices reduces the likelihood that further suicides will occur. TOOL 6 Summarized Plan for Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention Florida S.T.E.P.S.