PREVENTING SUICIDE

A Toolkit for High Schools

· U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Center for Mental Health Services

www.samhsa.gov

PREVENTING SUICIDE:

A Toolkit for High Schools

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Center for Mental Health Services
4 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

This toolkit was prepared for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 

Administration (SAMHSA) by the National Association of State Mental Health Program 

Directors (NASMHPD) in collaboration with Education Development Center, Inc. 

(EDC), and NASMHPD Research Institute, under contract number 

HHSS283200700020I/HHSS2800003T, with SAMHSA, U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services (HHS), Rosalyn Blogier, LCSW-C and Dr. Tarsha Wilson, Government 

Project Officers.

Disclaimer

The views, opinions, and content of this publication are those of the author and do not 

necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of SAMHSA or HHS.

The people depicted in this toolkit are models only. They are not included to illustrate the 

mental health issues addressed in this toolkit nor do the authors of this document have 

any reason to believe that they experienced any of the mental health issues addressed in 

this toolkit.

Public Domain Notice

All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or 

copied without permission from SAMHSA. Citation of the source is appreciated. 

However, this publication may not be reproduced or distributed for a fee without the 

specific, written authorization of the Office of Communications, SAMHSA, HHS.

Electronic Access and Copies of Publication

This publication may be downloaded or ordered at http://store.samhsa.gov/product/

SMA12-4669 or by calling SAMHSA at 1-877-SAMHSA-7 (1-877-726-4727). The 

Toolkit is available in English.

Recommended Citation

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Preventing Suicide: A 

Toolkit for High Schools. HHS Publication No. SMA-12-4669. Rockville, MD:

Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 

Administration, 2012. 

Originating Office

Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 

Administration, 1 Choke Cherry Road, Rockville, MD 20857, HHS Publication No. 

SMA-12-4669. Printed 2012. 
5 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

CONTENTS

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 Sheet....................150

Tool 6.B: Matrix of Student Programs.................................................152

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
7 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Introduction

9 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

INTRODUCTION

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:

• Assess their ability to prevent suicide among students and respond to suicides 

that may occur

• Understand strategies that can help students who are at risk for suicide

• Understand how to respond to the suicide of a student or other member of the 

school community

• Identify suicide prevention programs and activities that are effective for 

individual schools and respond to the needs and cultures of each school’s students

• Integrate suicide prevention into activities that fulfill other aspects of the school’s 

mission, such as preventing the abuse of alcohol and other drugs

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.

Chapter 1 will help you:

• Begin to identify the school staff and community partners who can help

• Generate support for suicide prevention in the school system and community

• Prioritize and select programs and activities that are right for your school

Chapters 2–7 describe the steps necessary to implement the components of a 

comprehensive school-based suicide prevention program. Most chapters include tools to 

help you carry out these steps, including forms, worksheets, factsheets, and guidelines.

The “Resources” section is an annotated directory of suicide prevention resources.

Note on Organization: References in the text of the toolkit are found in the Reference List 

following Chapter 7. References for each tool are listed with the tool.
10 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

SUICIDE PREVENTION: FACTS FOR SCHOOLS

“What happened in our district could happen anywhere.”

“Every school in our district had a crisis plan if a staff member died of cancer or a 

student got in a car accident. But suicide . . . it wasn’t on my agenda,” said a 

superintendent. “We just did not think it was going to happen here. Unfortunately we 

learned the hard way. It was only after we had a [death in our school community by] 

suicide that we realized we needed to take a comprehensive approach to preventing a 

tragedy like this. And we realized we needed to involve everybody—the school staff, 

students, parents, and the community.”

—Superintendent in a New England School District

Many high school students reported that they had seriously considered 

suicide in the past year (CDC, 2010a).

• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers (CDC, 2009a).

• One out of every 53 high school students (1.9 percent) reported having made 

a suicide attempt that was serious enough to be treated by a doctor or a nurse 

(CDC, 2010a).

• For each suicide death among young people, there may be as many as 100–200 

suicide attempts (McIntosh, 2010).

• Approximately 1 out of every 15 high school students attempts suicide each year 

(CDC, 2010a).

• The toll among some groups is even higher. For example, the suicide death rate 

among 15–19-year-old American Indian/Alaska Native males is 21⁄2 times higher 

than the overall rate for males in that age group (Heron, 2007).

FOUR REASONS WHY SCHOOLS SHOULD ADDRESS SUICIDE 

While everyone who cares for and about young people should be concerned with youth 

suicide, schools have special reasons for taking action to prevent these tragedies:

1. Maintaining a safe school environment is part of a school’s overall mission.

There is an implicit contract that schools have with parents to protect the 

safety of their children while they are in the school’s care. Fortunately, suicide 

prevention is consistent with many other efforts to protect student safety.

• Many activities designed to prevent violence, bullying, and the abuse of 

alcohol and other drugs may also reduce suicide risk among students (Epstein 

& Spirito, 2009).
11 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

• Programs that improve school climate and promote connectedness help 

reduce risk of suicide, violence, bullying, and substance abuse (Resnick et 

al., 1997; Blum, McNeely, & Rinehart, 2002). 

• Efforts to promote safe schools and adult caring also help protect against suicidal 

ideation and attempts among LGB youth (Eisenberg & Resnick, 2006).

• Some activities designed to prevent suicide and promote student mental 

health can reinforce the benefits of other student wellness programs.

2. Students’ mental health can affect their academic performance. Depression 

and other mental health issues can interfere with the ability to learn and can 

affect academic performance. According to the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey 

(CDC, 2010b):

• Approximately 1 of 2 high school students receiving grades of mostly Ds and 

Fs felt sad or hopeless. But only 1 of 5 students receiving mostly grades of A 

felt sad or hopeless. 

• 1 out of 5 high school students receiving grades of mostly Ds and Fs 

attempted suicide. Comparatively, 1 out of 25 who receive mostly A grades 

attempted suicide. 

3. A student suicide can significantly impact other students and the entire 

school community. Knowing what to do following a suicide is critical to helping 

students cope with the loss and prevent additional tragedies that may occur. 

Adolescents can be susceptible to suicide contagion (sometimes called the 

“copycat effect”). This may result in the relatively rare phenomenon of “suicide 

clusters” (unusually high numbers of suicides occurring in a small area and brief 

time period) (Gould, Wallenstein, Kleinman, O’Carroll, & Mercy, 1990).

4. Schools have been sued for negligence for the following reasons (Doan, 

Roggenbaum, & Lazear, 2003; Juhnke, Granello, & Granello, 2011; Lieberman, 

2008–2009; Lieberman, Poland, & Cowan, 2006):

• Failure to notify parents if their child appears to be suicidal

• Failure to get assistance for a student at risk of suicide 

• Failure to adequately supervise a student at risk of suicide
12 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

What about FERPA?

Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), parents are generally 

required to provide consent before school officials disclose personally identifiable 

information from students’ education records. There are exceptions to FERPA’s general 

consent rule, such as disclosures in connection with health or safety emergencies. This 

provision in FERPA permits school officials to disclose information on students, without 

consent, to appropriate parties if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the 

health or safety of the student or other individuals. When a student is believed to be suicidal 

or has expressed suicidal thoughts, school officials may determine that an articulable and 

significant threat to the health or safety of the student exists and that such a disclosure to 

appropriate parties is warranted under this exception (Department of Education, 2010).

School Connectedness

School connectedness “is the belief by students that adults and peers in the school care 

about their learning as well as about them as individuals” (CDC, 2009b). Making positive 

changes to the school climate—increasing students’ sense of connectedness to the school—

can result in improved academic achievement and healthy behaviors among students. 

Strategies for building connectedness include (CDC, 2009b):

• Providing students with the academic, emotional, and social skills necessary to be 

actively engaged in school

• Using effective classroom management and teaching methods to foster a positive 

learning environment

• Creating decision-making processes that facilitate student, family, and community 

engagement; academic achievement; and staff empowerment

• Providing education and opportunities to enable families to be actively involved in 

their children’s academic and school life

• Creating trusting and caring relationships that promote open communication among 

administrators, teachers, staff, students, families, and communities

• Providing professional development and support for teachers and other school 

staff to enable them to meet the diverse cognitive, emotional, and social needs 

of students

Although suicidal behavior is one of the negative behaviors that can be reduced as 

connectedness increases, strategies to increase connectedness should not be substituted for 

the types of suicide prevention strategies described in this toolkit. However, combining 

suicide prevention with efforts to increase connectedness is a powerful strategy for 

furthering both goals.
13 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

HOW SCHOOLS CAN HELP PREVENT SUICIDE 

Suicide prevention experts recommend using a multifaceted approach in which specific 

components are implemented in a particular sequence. These components include:

• Protocols for helping students at risk of suicide, including:

» A protocol for helping students who may be at risk of suicide

» A protocol for responding to students who attempt suicide at school

» Agreements with community providers to provide behavioral health services 

to students

• Protocols for responding to suicide death, including:

» Steps to take after the suicide of a student or other member of the school 

community

» Staff responsible for taking these steps

» Agreements with community partners to help in the event of a suicide

• Staff education and training, including:

» Information about the importance of suicide prevention for all staff

» Training, for all staff, on recognizing and responding to students who may be 

at risk of suicide.

» Training, for appropriate staff, on assessing, referring, and following up with 

students identified as at risk of suicide.

• Parent education, including:

» Information for parents about suicide and related behavioral health issues

» Strategies to engage parents in suicide prevention programs

• Student education, including:

» One or more programs to engage students in suicide prevention 

» Integration of suicide prevention into other student healthy behavioral health 

initiatives

• Screening:

» A suicide screening program

» Parent, staff, and community mental health provider support for 

screening

Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools will help you implement these 

components. The toolkit represents the best available evidence and expert opinion on 

preventing suicide among high school students. It is recommended that you review the 

entire toolkit before starting to implement any one component.
14 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Suicide Prevention and Behavioral Health

In this toolkit, we use SAMHSA’s definition of behavioral health: “the promotion of emotional 

health; the prevention of mental illnesses and substance use disorders; and treatments and services 

for substance abuse, addiction, substance use disorders, mental illnesses, and/or mental 

disorders.” SAMHSA has articulated the philosophy that “behavioral health is essential to the 

Nation’s health.” Schools have an essential role to play in preventing suicide and in promoting 

behavioral health among America’s young people.
CHAPTER 1

Getting Started

17 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

GETTING STARTED

The steps in Chapter 1 will answer these questions:

• What are the most critical steps you should take to protect your students 

from suicide?

• How can you engage administrators in suicide prevention?

• Which school staff and community partners should be involved from the beginning?

• How can you educate yourself and the school community about suicide prevention?

A STRATEGIC APPROACH TO PREVENTING SUICIDE IN SCHOOLS

Suicide prevention experts agree that the most effective way to prevent suicide is to use a 

number of complementary strategies (which will be described in this toolkit). But even 

schools fortunate enough to have the resources to implement all of these strategies should 

not try to do them all at the same time.

A comprehensive school-based suicide prevention program should be built on a 

foundation that responds to the most serious issues faced by students and the school—a 

student at high risk of suicide and a death by suicide of a student (which could put other 

students at risk). 

The two essential components that every school should have in place are: 

• Protocols for helping students at possible risk of suicide

• Protocols for responding to a suicide death (and thus preventing additional suicides)

Every school should have these two sets of protocols in place regardless of whether 

they are going to implement any additional suicide prevention activities. For 

guidance in creating these protocols, see Chapters 2 and 3 of this toolkit.

It is essential to implement protocols for responding to students at possible risk of suicide 

before implementing strategies to help identify students at risk of suicide (such as 

training staff to recognize suicide risk). Identifying students who are at risk of suicide 

will be more likely to prevent suicide when the procedures that ensure these students 

receive appropriate services are in place. Only after creating these procedures is a school 

ready to implement other suicide prevention strategies. 
18 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

After developing the two critical protocols, all staff should be engaged in suicide 

prevention. This should include the following:

• Educating all staff about the importance of suicide prevention

• Training all staff to recognize suicide risk

• Training selected staff to assess and refer students at risk of suicide to appropriate 

services 

After a school has created and implemented these three components (the two essential 

protocols and the staff education and training outlined above), it is ready to implement 

additional suicide prevention strategies, including:

• Educating parents about behavioral health promotion and suicide risk

• Educating and involving students in behavioral health promotion and suicide 

prevention 

• Screening students for suicide risk

For guidance on these strategies, see Chapters 5, 6, and 7 of this toolkit.

STEPS FOR GETTING STARTED

These steps for getting started are not entirely sequential. You may want to complete 

them in a different order—or carry out several of them at the same time.

Step 1. Engage administrators, school boards, and other key players. 

The support of school administrators—especially principals—is essential to any activity 

carried out within a school. The support of other key players, including superintendents 

and school board members, can also be crucial for success. School leaders may be 

reluctant to undertake a suicide prevention initiative because of the sensitive nature of 

this issue or because of competing demands. Here are some suggestions for gaining 

their support:

• Explain why it is important to address suicide risk among students. To gain 

the support of administrators, school leaders, and other stakeholders, use Tool 

1.A: Suicide Prevention: Facts for Schools. Another useful resource is the free 

video “School-Based Suicide Prevention: A Matter of Life and Death,” in which 

school administrators and staff share their experiences of facing the suicide of a 

student. See Getting Started—Information Sheets in the “Resources” section in 

this toolkit for information on this video.

• Highlight data and information specific to your district, State, or tribe. Local 

statistics on suicidal behavior can be very persuasive in convincing stakeholders 

that action needs to be taken. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 

Youth Risk Behavior Survey has a Web page at 

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/yrbs/state_district_comparisons.htm which 
19 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

includes State and district-level data.

• Share your plans. Emphasize that you will take advantage of the many existing 

suicide prevention programs that are considered best practices, and that these 

strategies can be easily integrated into the activities already in place at the school.

Step 2. Bring people together to start the planning process.

Having the right people in the right room is essential to any successful planning process. 

Some schools may want to start by convening a group composed of staff members and 

then reach out to the community. Other schools may want to involve both staff and 

community partners from the start.

Engage school staff.

You will find it easier to chart a realistic course of action if you engage school staff from 

various disciplines and areas of responsibility from the beginning. It is important to have 

people with mental health expertise, such as a school counselor or social worker, involved 

in planning and possibly leading suicide prevention activities. 

Your school may have teams responsible for health or behavioral health issues, such as a 

crisis response team or a health promotion team. If you do, consider adding suicide 

prevention to their mission and involving members of these teams as you assign 

responsibility for suicide prevention strategies.

It is important to understand that the reluctance of some staff to become involved with the 

team may be a result of their own personal experiences with suicide or suicide risk. These 

personal histories, and the desires of staff not to reveal them, need to be respected.

Tool 1.B: Chart of School Staff Responsibilities will help you decide who should be 

involved in planning and implementing the specific components of your suicide 

prevention program. Begin by filling in the names of staff who will be responsible for 

taking the steps outlined in this chapter.

School staff may also want to engage students and parents in the planning process. Take 

advantage of existing mechanisms for involving students and parents in the development 

of school policies and implementation of new programs.

Engage community partners.

Schools need community support to help prevent suicide. If your community has a 

suicide prevention coalition or group, contact it as soon as you get started. Your State or 

tribal suicide prevention contact can help you identify suicide prevention coalitions in 

your community. For a list of State and tribal suicide prevention contacts, visit the 

Suicide Prevention Resource Center Web site: 

State contacts: http://www.sprc.org/states/all/contacts

Tribal contacts: http://www.sprc.org/grantees/listing
20 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

You should also reach out to leaders from the ethnic and cultural communities 

represented in your school. They can be critical in ensuring that your efforts are culturally 

competent and effective in reaching the students and parents from these communities.

Tool 1.C: Chart of Community Partners will help you identify the individuals and 

agencies you might want to engage in your school’s suicide prevention efforts. In 

addition, each chapter includes a process for identifying community partners that can help 

implement particular activities. Use Tool 1.C. to identify the community partners you 

need to get started, that is, to take the steps described in this chapter. 

Step 3. Provide key players with basic information about youth suicide and 

suicide prevention.

The following tools will help your staff and community partners gain a basic 

understanding of suicide prevention: 

Tool 1.A: Suicide Prevention: Facts for Schools includes an overview of the problem of 

adolescent suicide and the role schools can play in prevention. 

Tool 1.D: Risk and Protective Factors and Warning Signs Factsheets describes 

characteristics that increase risk of and protection against suicide as well as warning signs 

that someone may be at risk of imminent harm. This is important information for all staff 

and will be referenced in subsequent activities.

Tool 1.E: Data on Youth Suicide includes information on suicide deaths, attempts, and 

methods among young people ages 13–19.

Tool 1.F: Suicide and Substance Abuse Information Sheet provides information on 

substance abuse as a major risk factor for suicide and the implications of that 

for prevention.

Tool 1.G: Suicide and Bullying Information Sheet provides information on bullying as a 

major risk factor for suicide and the implications of that for prevention.

The Getting Started part of the “Resources” section in this toolkit contains other 

background documents and factsheets to share with staff. 

Step 4: Develop your overall strategy.

Assess your current policies, programs, and school culture.

Before developing an overall strategy for your school, it is important to understand the 

programs and policies in your school, community, or State that could facilitate, obstruct, 

or otherwise affect your work.

• Determine whether there are policies, either State, district, Bureau of Indian 

Education, or tribal, to which your activities must conform, e.g., training for staff, 

training for students, or protocols for suicide prevention or intervention. 
21 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

» The State Information pages of the Suicide Prevention Resource Center Web 

site list State policies on suicide prevention in schools: 

http://www.sprc.org/states

» The Suicide Prevention Action Network (SPAN) USA Web site has updates 

on all State legislation related to suicide prevention: 

http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_

id=DDB4817F-AFFD-AB5B-65FFA5FF8FD4DDCC

» For Bureau of Indian Education policies, send an email to 

juanita.keesing@bie.edu or call the Bureau of Indian Education Central 

Office at 202-208-5962.

» Federal civil rights laws require reporting and preventing discrimination 

based on sex or disability, which are also potential risk factors for suicide.

• Assess the health and behavioral health programs you may already have 

in place that could be enhanced with suicide prevention activities. These 

programs could include those designed to build connectedness; improve 

the school climate; or prevent bullying, violence, or the abuse of alcohol 

and other drugs. The School Health Index is a self-assessment and planning 

tool that schools can use to improve their health and safety policies and 

programs: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/shi/index.htm.

• Inventory the suicide prevention programs in your district and community. 

Contact your local mental health department to learn about other programs in 

your area. You can also get in touch with your State or tribal suicide prevention 

contact person to learn about programs in your community: 

• State contacts: http://www.sprc.org/states/all/contacts 

• Tribal contacts: http://www.sprc.org/grantees/listing

• Learn how the different cultures represented among the students in your school 

address behavioral health issues and suicide risk, and take that into consideration 

in developing your strategy. For additional guidance, see Tool 1.H: The 

Implications of Culture on Suicide Prevention Information Sheet.

• Consider how to address obstacles you might face. For example, some people 

might question whether schools should be involved in suicide prevention. You 

can address this objection with the information provided in Tool 1.A: Suicide 

Prevention: Facts for Schools. 

Select components of a comprehensive approach.

After assessing the policy environment and the existing programs in your school into 

which suicide prevention strategies can be integrated, you can begin choosing programs 

and activities to implement. It is important to remember that the field of suicide 
22 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

prevention is relatively young. Even the most carefully constructed and rigorously 

evaluated suicide prevention program will have limitations as well as strengths. No 

program can claim universal effectiveness (Gould, Greenberg, Velting, & Shaffer, 2003; 

Gould, Klomek, & Batejan, 2009; Guo & Harstall, 2002; Miller, Eckert, & Mazza, 2009). 

Thus, it is important to examine the evaluation and research to ensure that the programs 

and activities you choose are the best fit for your school. 

• Use Tool 1.I: Checklist of Suicide Prevention Activities to assess what you 

already have in place and what is missing. Compare your protocols with those 

recommended in Chapter 2 (Protocols to help students at possible risk of suicide) 

and Chapter 3 (Protocols to respond appropriately to a death by suicide). You 

may find that your protocols need to be revised or enhanced. Completing this 

checklist will prepare you to embark upon the steps outlined in Chapters 2–7.

• Review Tool 1.J: Matrix of School-Based Suicide Prevention Programs. This 

matrix lists all the school-based suicide prevention programs currently in the 

National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP) or the 

Best Practices Registry (BPR). This matrix can help you choose programs to 

use in your school. Tool 1.K: Suicide Prevention Registries Information Sheet

provides more information about the NREPP and BPR.
23 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED TOOLS

Tool 1.A: Suicide Prevention: Facts for Schools

Tool 1.B: Chart of School Staff Responsibilities

Tool 1.C: Chart of Community Partners

Tool 1.D: Risk and Protective Factors and Warning Signs Factsheets

Tool 1.E: Data on Youth Suicide

Tool 1.F: Suicide and Substance Abuse Information Sheet

Tool 1.G: Suicide and Bullying Information Sheet

Tool 1.H: The Implications of Culture on Suicide Prevention Information Sheet

Tool 1.I: Checklist of Suicide Prevention Activities

Tool 1.J: Matrix of School-Based Suicide Prevention Programs

Tool 1.K: Suicide Prevention Registries Information Sheet
24 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 1.A: Suicide Prevention: Facts for Schools

This factsheet can help you gain the support of administrators, school leaders, and other stakeholders for 

implementing suicide prevention initiatives in high schools. It includes an overview of the problem of 

adolescent suicide, explains why it is important to address suicide risk among students, and discusses the 

role that schools can play in prevention.

The information in this factsheet was also included in the Introduction. This handout can be found in the 

“Handouts” section of this Toolkit, which begins on page 209.
25 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

SUICIDE PREVENTION: FACTS FOR SCHOOLS

“Every school in our district had a crisis plan if a staff member died of cancer or a student got in a car 

accident. But suicide . . . it wasn’t on my agenda,” said a superintendent. “We just did not think it was 

going to happen here. Unfortunately we learned the hard way. It was only after we had a [death in our 

school community by] suicide that we realized we needed to take a comprehensive approach to preventing 

a tragedy like this. And we realized we needed to involve everybody—the school staff, students, parents, 

and the community.”

—Superintendent in a New England School District

Many high school students reported that they had seriously considered 

suicide in the past year (CDC, 2010a). 

• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers (CDC, 2009).

• One out of every 53 high school students (1.9 percent) reported having made 

a suicide attempt that was serious enough to be treated by a doctor or a nurse 

(CDC, 2010a).

• The toll among some groups is even higher. For example, the suicide rate among 

15–19-year-old American Indian/Alaska Native males is 21⁄2 times higher than the 

overall rate for males in that age group (Heron, 2007).

FOUR REASONS WHY SCHOOLS SHOULD ADDRESS SUICIDE 

While everyone who cares for and about young people should be concerned with youth suicide, schools 

have special reasons for taking action to prevent these tragedies:

1. Maintaining a safe school environment is part of a school’s overall mission. There is an implicit 

contract between schools and parents about the safety of their children while they are in the 

school’s care. Fortunately, suicide prevention is consistent with many other efforts to protect 

student safety.

• Many activities designed to prevent violence, bullying, and the abuse of alcohol and other 

drugs can also reduce suicide risk among students (Epstein & Spirito, 2009).

• Programs that improve school climate and promote connectedness help reduce risk of 

suicide, violence, bullying, and substance abuse (Resnick et al., 1997; Blum, McNeely, & 

Rinehart, 2002).

• Efforts to promote safe schools and adult caring also help protect against suicidal ideation and 

suicide attempts among LGB youth (Eisenberg & Resnick, 2006).

• Some activities designed to prevent suicide and promote student mental health can reinforce 

the benefits of other student wellness programs.
26 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

2. Students’ mental health can affect their academic performance. Depression and other mental 

health issues can interfere with the ability to learn and affect academic performance. According to 

a 2009 survey (CDC, 2010b):

• Approximately 1 out of 2 high school students receiving grades of mostly D’s and F’s felt sad 

or hopeless. But only 1 out of 5 students receiving mostly A’s felt sad or hopeless. 

• 1 out of 5 high school students receiving grades of mostly D’s and F’s attempted suicide. 

Only 1 out of 25 who received grades of mostly A’s attempted suicide. 

3. A student suicide can significantly impact other students and the entire school community.

Knowing what to do following a suicide is critical to helping students cope with the loss and 

prevent additional tragedies that may occur. Adolescents can be susceptible to suicide contagion 

(sometimes called the copycat effect). 

4. Schools have been sued for negligence for the following reasons (Doan, Roggenbaum, & 

Lazear, 2003; Juhnke, Granello, & Granello, 2011; Lieberman, 2008–2009; Lieberman, Poland, 

& Cowan, 2006): 

• Failure to notify parents if their child appears to be suicidal

• Failure to get assistance for a student at risk of suicide 

• Failure to adequately supervise a student at risk

HOW SCHOOLS CAN HELP PREVENT SUICIDE

Suicide prevention experts recommend using a multifaceted approach in which the following components 

are implemented in a particular sequence:

• Protocols for helping students at risk of suicide

• Protocols for responding to suicide death

• Staff education training

• Parent education

• Student education

• Screening

Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools contains information about how these components can be 

implemented in your school. You can download this toolkit free of charge 

from http://store.samhsa.gov/product/SMA12-4669.

If you or someone you know is in a suicidal crisis, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)—National Suicide 

Prevention Lifeline.
27 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

REFERENCES

Blum, R. W., McNeely, C., & Rinehart, P. M. (2002). Improving the odds: The untapped power of schools 

to improve the health of teens. Minneapolis: Center for Adolescent Health and Development, University 

of Minnesota. Retrieved from http://www.med.umn.edu/peds/ahm/prod/groups/med/@pub/@med/

documents/asset/med_21771.pdf 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009). Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting 

System (WISQARS) [online]. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Retrieved from http://

www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010a). Youth risk behavior surveillance—United States, 

2009. Surveillance Summaries. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 59(SS–5). Retrieved from http://

www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss5905.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010b). Youth risk behavior surveillance—United States, 

2009. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/health_and_academics/pdf/yrbs_slides_violence.ppt

Doan, J., Roggenbaum, S., & Lazear, K. (2003). Youth suicide prevention school-based guide—Issue brief 

4: Administrative issues. Tampa, FL: Department of Child and Family Studies, Division of State and 

Local Support, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida. (FMHI 

Series Publication #218–4).

Eisenberg, M. E., & Resnick, M. D. (2006). Suicidality among gay, lesbian and bisexual youth: The role 

of protective factors. Journal of Adolescent Health, 39(5), 662–668.

Epstein, J. A., & Spirito, A. (2009). Risk factors for suicidality among a nationally representative sample 

of high school students. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 39(3), 241–251.

Heron, M. P. (2007). Deaths: Leading causes for 2004. National Vital Statistics Reports, l56(5). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/

nvsr56/nvsr56_05.pdf

Juhnke, G. A., Granello, D. H., & Granello, P. F. (2011). Suicide, self-injury, and violence in the schools: 

Assessment, prevention, and intervention strategies. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Lieberman, R. (2008–2009). Legal lessons: Minimizing risk to districts. Well Aware: A Suicide Prevention 

Bulletin for Wyoming School Administrators, 1(1), 3.

Lieberman, R., Poland, S., & Cowan, K. (2006, October). Suicide prevention and intervention: Principal 

leadership, 11–15. Retrieved from http://www.nasponline.org/resources/principals/Suicide%20

Intervention%20in%20Secondary%20Schoools%20NASSP%20Oct%202006.pdf

Resnick, M. D., Bearman, P. S., Blum, R. W., Bauman, K. E., Harris, K. M., Jones, J.,...Udry, J. R. 

(1997). Protecting adolescents from harm. Findings from the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent 

Health. Journal of the American Medical Association, 278(10), 823–832.
28 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 1.B: Chart of School Staff Responsibilities

As you work on the steps in the chapters of this toolkit, use the chart on the next page to record the names 

of the people who will play a role in planning and implementing each component of your program. Check 

the column representing the activities in which they will be involved. Staff with differing areas of 

expertise will be required to implement the steps in various chapters. However, this does not mean that 

you will have to establish separate groups for each component, as you will probably find that many staff 

will be involved in several of the components. The following people may be helpful in planning and 

implementing components of your school’s suicide prevention program:

• Superintendent

• Principal

• Assistant principal 

• Curriculum director

• Health educator

• School nurse

• School health coordinator

• Guidance counselor/school counselor

• School social worker

• Student assistance program staff/pupil services coordinator

• Special education staff

• Members of the Crisis Response Team

• School psychologist

• School-based health center and/or mental health center staff

• Child study team member(s)

• School security officer/school resource officer

• Teachers 

• Technology staff

• Athletic staff
29 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

STAFF PROGRAM COMPONENT AND RELEVANT CHAPTER

Check the box for the component(s) that each staff person will plan and implement.

Name & 

Title 

Getting 

Started

(Ch.1)

Protocols 

for Helping 

Students 

at Risk of 

Suicide

(Ch. 2)

Protocols 

for After a 

Suicide 

(Ch. 3)

Staff 

Education 

and 

Training 

(Ch. 4)

Parent/

Guardian 

Education 

and 

Outreach

(Ch. 5)

Student 

Programs

(Ch. 6)

Screening

(Ch. 7)
30 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 1.C: Chart of Community Partners

As you go through the steps in each chapter, use the chart on the next page to fill in the names of individuals 

or agencies in the community who can help you plan and implement that component of your program. 

Check the column representing the activities in which they will be involved. Some partners will probably be 

involved with more than one program component. The following types of community partners may be 

helpful in implementing components of your school’s suicide prevention program:

• Leaders representing the cultural communities of your students 

• Mental health providers/community mental health agency staff

• Substance abuse counselors

• Crisis center workers 

• Healthcare providers 

• Community health department staff, including injury and violence prevention and maternal and 

child health professionals

• Hospital staff, including emergency department staff

• EMTs, fire and rescue personnel, and first responders

• Police 

• Clergy 

• County social services staff

• Child welfare providers

• Juvenile justice professionals 

• Coroner 

• Media representatives 

• Immigrant and refugee organization staff

• LGBT youth–serving program staff

• Youth development professionals (e.g., YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, community youth center)

In tribal communities consider including Indian Health Service hospitals, clinics, and primary care 

providers, and tribal behavioral health and social service programs.
31 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

ORGANIZATION/

INDIVIDUAL

PROGRAM COMPONENT AND RELEVANT CHAPTER

Check the box for the component(s) that each organization/individual will work on.

Name

Getting 

Started

(Ch.1)

Protocols 

for Helping 

Students 

at Risk of 

Suicide

(Ch. 2)

Protocols 

for After 

a Suicide 

(Ch. 3)

Staff 

Education 

and 

Training 

(Ch. 4)

Parent/

Guardian 

Education 

and 

Outreach

(Ch. 5)

Student 

Programs

(Ch. 6)

Screening

(Ch. 7)
32 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 1.D: Risk and Protective Factors and Warning Signs 

Factsheets

This tool will help educate school staff and other partners about the factors that are associated with 

suicide risk, the factors that are associated with protection against suicide, and the warning signs of 

suicide. This tool has been formatted as three separate handouts.

Risk factors for suicide refer to personal or environmental characteristics that are associated with suicide. 

People affected by one or more of these risk factors have a greater probability of suicidal behavior.

Protective factors are personal or environmental characteristics that reduce the probability of suicide. 

Protective factors can buffer the effects of risk factors. The capacity to resist the effects of risk factors is 

known as resilience.

Warning signs are indications that someone may be in danger of suicide, either immediately or in the 

near future.

This handout can be found in the “Handouts” section of this Toolkit, which begins on page 209.
33 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

RISK FACTORS FOR YOUTH SUICIDE

Risk factors for suicide refer to personal or environmental characteristics that are associated with suicide. 

The environment includes the social and cultural environment as well as the physical environment. People 

affected by one or more of these risk factors may have a greater probability of suicidal behavior. Some 

risk factors cannot be changed—such as a previous suicide attempt—but they can be used to help identify 

someone who may be vulnerable to suicide.

There is no single, agreed-upon list of risk factors. The list below summarizes the risk factors identified 

by the most recent research. 

Behavioral Health Issues/Disorders

• Depressive disorders

• Substance abuse or dependence (alcohol and other drugs)

• Conduct/disruptive behavior disorders

• Other disorders (e.g., anxiety disorders, personality disorders)

• Previous suicide attempts

• Self-injury (without intent to die)

• Genetic/biological vulnerability (mainly abnormalities in serotonin functioning, which can lead to 

some of the behavioral health problems listed above)

Note: The presence of multiple behavioral health disorders (especially the combination of mood and 

disruptive behavior problems or substance use) increases suicide risk.

Personal Characteristics

• Hopelessness

• Low self-esteem

• Loneliness

• Social alienation and isolation, lack of belonging

• Low stress and frustration tolerance

• Impulsivity

• Risk taking, recklessness

• Poor problem-solving or coping skills

• Perception of self as very underweight or very overweight

• Capacity to self-injure

• Perception of being a burden (e.g., to family and friends)
34 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Adverse/Stressful Life Circumstances

• Interpersonal difficulties or losses (e.g., breaking up with a girlfriend or boyfriend)

• Disciplinary or legal problems

• Bullying, either as victim or perpetrator

• School or work problems (e.g., actual or perceived difficulties in school or work, not attending 

school or work, not going to college)

• Physical, sexual, and/or psychological abuse

• Chronic physical illness or disability

• Exposure to suicide of peer

Risky Behaviors

• Alcohol or drug use

• Delinquency

• Aggressive/violent behavior

• Risky sexual behavior

Family Characteristics

• Family history of suicide or suicidal behavior

• Parental mental health problems

• Parental divorce

• Death of parent or other relative

• Problems in parent-child relationship (e.g., feelings of detachment from parents, inability to talk 

with family members, interpersonal conflicts, family financial problems, family violence or abuse, 

parenting style either underprotective or overprotective and highly critical)

Environmental Factors

• Negative social and emotional environment at school, including negative attitudes, beliefs, 

feelings, and interactions of staff and students

• Lack of acceptance of differences

• Expression and acts of hostility

• Lack of respect and fair treatment

• Lack of respect for the cultures of all students

• Limitations in school physical environment, including lack of safety and security

• Weapons on campus

• Poorly lit areas conducive to bullying and violence

• Limited access to mental health care

• Access to lethal means, particularly in the home

• Exposure to other suicides, leading to suicide contagion 
35 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

• Exposure to stigma and discrimination against students based on sexual orientation; gender 

identity; race and ethnicity; disability; or physical characteristics, such as overweight. Stigma and 

discrimination lead to:

» Victimization and bullying by others, lack of support from and rejection by family and peers, 

dropping out of school, lack of access to work opportunities and health care

» Internalized homophobia, stress from being different and not accepted, and stress around 

disclosure of being gay, which can lead to low self-esteem, social isolation, and decreased 

help-seeking

» Stress due to the need to adapt to a different culture, especially reconciling differences 

between one’s family and the majority culture, which can lead to family conflict and rejection

REFERENCES

Beautrais, A. L. (2003). Life course factors associated with suicidal behaviors in young people. American 

Behavioral Scientist, 46(9), 1137.

Berman, A. L., Jobes, D. A., & Silverman, M. M. (2006). Adolescent suicide: Assessment and intervention

(2nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Campo, J. V. (2009). Youth suicide prevention: Does access to care matter? Current Opinions in 

Pediatrics, 21(5), 628–634.

Doan, J., Roggenbaum, S., & Lazear, K. (2003). Youth suicide prevention school-based guide—Issue 

brief 2: School climate. Tampa, FL: Department of Child and Family Studies, Division of State and Local 

Support, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida. (FMHI Series 

Publication #218–2)

Eaton, D. K., Lowry, R., Brener, N. D., Galuska, D. A., & Crosby, A. E. (2005). Associations of body 

mass index and perceived weight with suicide ideation and suicide attempts among US high school 

students. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 159(6), 513–519.

Epstein, J. A., & Spirito, A. (2009). Risk factors for suicidality among a nationally representative sample 

of high school students. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 39(3), 241–251.

Gould, M. S., Greenberg, T., Velting, D. M., & Shaffer, D. (2003). Youth suicide risk and preventive 

interventions: A review of the past 10 years. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent 

Psychiatry, 42(4), 386–405.

Gutierrez, P. M., & Osman, A. (2008). Adolescent suicide: An integrated approach to the assessment of 

risk and protective factors. DeKalb, IL: Northern Illinois University Press.

Joiner, T. E., (2009). Suicide prevention in schools as viewed through the interpersonal-psychological 

theory of suicidal behavior. School Psychology Review, 38(2), 244–248.

Lofthouse, N., & Yage-Schweller, J. (2009). Nonsuicidal self-injury and suicide risk among adolescents. 

Current Opinions in Pediatrics, 21(5), 641–645.
36 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Martin, G., Richardson, A. S., Bergen, H. A., Roeger, L., & Allison, S. (2005). Perceived academic 

performance, self-esteem and locus of control as indicators of need for assessment of adolescent suicide 

risk: Implications for teachers. Journal of Adolescence, 28(1), 75–87.

Miller, D. N., & Eckert, T. L. (2009). Youth suicidal behavior: An introduction and overview. School 

Psychology Review, 38(2), 153–167.

Suicide Prevention Resource Center. (2008). Suicide risk and prevention for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and 

transgender youth. Newton, MA: Education Development Center, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.sprc.

org/library/SPRC_LGBT_Youth.pdf

Swahn, M. H., Reynolds, M. R., Tice, M., Miranda-Pierangeli, M. C., Jones, C. R., & Jones, I. R. (2009). 

Perceived overweight, BMI, and risk for suicide attempts: Findings from the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior 

Survey. Journal of Adolescent Health, 45(3), 292–295.
37 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR YOUTH SUICIDE

Protective factors are personal or environmental characteristics that reduce the probability of suicide. 

Protective factors can buffer the effects of risk factors. The capacity to cope positively with the effects of 

risk factors is called “resilience.” Actions by school staff to enhance protective factors are an essential 

element of a suicide prevention effort. Strengthening these factors also protects students from other risks, 

including violence, substance abuse, and academic failure.

There is no single, agreed-upon list of protective factors. The list below summarizes the protective factors 

identified by the most recent research.

Individual Characteristics and Behaviors

• Psychological or emotional well-being, positive mood 

• Emotional intelligence: the ability to perceive, integrate into thoughts, understand, and manage 

one’s emotions 

• Adaptable temperament 

• Internal locus of control 

• Strong problem-solving skills 

• Coping skills, including conflict resolution and nonviolent handling of disputes 

• Self-esteem

• Frequent, vigorous physical activity or participation in sports 

• Spiritual faith or regular church attendance 

• Cultural and religious beliefs that affirm life and discourage suicide 

• Resilience: ongoing or continuing sense of hope in the face of adversity

• Frustration tolerance and emotional regulation 

• Body image, care, and protection 

Family and Other Social Support

• Family support and connectedness to family, closeness to or strong relationship with parents, and 

parental involvement 

• Close friends or family members, a caring adult, and social support

• Parental pro-social norms, that is, youth know that parents disapprove of antisocial behavior such 

as beating someone up or drinking alcohol 

• Family support for school 
38 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

School

• Positive school experiences 

• Part of a close school community 

• Safe environment at school (especially for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth) 

• Adequate or better academic achievement 

• A sense of connectedness to the school 

• A respect for the cultures of all students

Mental Health and Healthcare Providers and Caregivers

• Access to effective care for mental, physical, and substance abuse disorders 

• Easy access to care and support through ongoing medical and mental health relationships 

Access to Means

• Restricted access to firearms: guns locked or unloaded, ammunition stored or locked 

• Safety barriers for bridges, buildings, and other jumping sites 

• Restricted access to medications (over-the-counter and prescriptions)

• Restricted access to alcohol (since there is an increased risk of suicide by firearms if the victim is 

drinking at the time)

REFERENCES

Bearman, P. S., & Moody, J. (2004). Suicide and friendships among American adolescents. American 

Journal of Public Health, 94(1), 89–95.

Beautrais, A. L. (2003). Life course factors associated with suicidal behaviors in young people. American 

Behavioral Scientist, 46(9), 1137–1156.

Beautrais, A., Gibb, S., Fergusson, D., Horwood, L. J., & Larkin, G. L. (2009). Removing bridge barriers 

stimulates suicides: An unfortunate natural experiment. Australian and New Zealand Journal of 

Psychiatry, 43(6), 495–497.

Berman, A. L., Jobes, D. A., & Silverman, M. M. (2006). Adolescent suicide: Assessment and intervention

(2nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Birckmayer, J., & Hemenway, D. (1999). Minimum age drinking laws and youth suicide, 1970–1990. 

American Journal of Public Health, 89, 1365–1368.

Borowsky, I. W., Resnick, M. D., Ireland, M., & Blum, R. W. (1999). Suicide attempts among American 

Indian and Alaska Native youth: Risk and protective factors. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent 

Medicine, 153(6), 573–580.

Borowsky, I. W., Ireland, M., & Resnick, M. D. (2001). Adolescent suicide attempts: Risks and protectors. 

Pediatrics, 31, 489–493.
39 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Brent, D. A., Perper, J. A., & Allman, D. J. (1987). Alcohol, firearms, and suicide among youth: Temporal 

trends in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 1960 to1983. Journal of the American Medical Association, 

257(24), 3369–3372.

Cha, C., & Nock, M. (2009). Emotional intelligence is a protective factor for suicidal behavior. Journal of 

the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 48(4), 422–430.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2009). School connectedness: Strategies for 

increasing protective factors among youth. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Colucci, E., & Martin, G. (2008). Religion and spirituality along the suicidal path. Suicide and LifeThreatening Behavior, 38 (2), 229–244.

Education Development Center, Inc. (Revised 2008). Assessing and managing suicide risk: Core 

competencies for mental health professionals. Newton, MA: Suicide Prevention Resource Center, 

Education Development Center, Inc. in collaboration with American Association of Suicidology.

Eisenberg, M. E., & Resnick, M. D. (2006). Suicidality among gay, lesbian and bisexual youth: The role 

of protective factors. Journal of Adolescent Health, 39(5), 662–668.

Flouri, E., & Buchanan, A. (2002). The protective role of parental involvement in adolescent suicide. 

Crisis, 23, 1–17. 

Goldsmith, S. K. (2001). Risk factors for suicide: Summary of a workshop. Washington DC: National 

Academy Press. National Academy of Sciences. Retrieved from http://books.nap.edu/openbook.

php?record_id=10215&page=18

Grossman, D. C., Mueller, B. A., Riedy, D., Dowd, D. M., Villaveces, A., Prodzinski, J., Harruff, R. 

(2005). Gun storage practices and risk of youth suicide and unintentional firearm injuries. Journal of the 

American Medical Association, 293(6), 707–714.

Gutierrez, P. M., & Osman, A. (2008). Adolescent suicide: An integrated approach to the assessment of 

risk and protective factors. DeKalb, IL: Northern Illinois University Press.

Hall-Lande, J. A., Eisenberg, M. E., Christenson, S. L., & Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2007). Social isolation, 

psychological health, and protective factors in adolescence. Adolescence, 42, 265–286.

Hawton, K., Simkin, S., Deeks, J., Cooper, J., Johnston, A., Waters K., Simpson, K. (2004). United 

Kingdom legislation on analgesic packs: Before and after study of long term effect on poisonings. British 

Medical Journal, 329(7474), 1076.

Kidd, S., Henrich, C. C., Brookmeyer, K. A., Davidson, L., King, R. A., & Shahar, G. (2006). The social 

context of adolescent suicide attempts: Interactive effects of parent, peer, and school social relations. 

Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 36(4), 386–395. 

King, C., & Merchant, C. R. (2008). Social and interpersonal factors relating to adolescent suicidality: A 

review of the literature. Archives of Suicide Research, 12(3), 181–196.

Pettingell, S. L., Bearinger, L. H., Skay, C. L., Resnick, M. D., Potthoff, S. J., & Eichhorn, J. (2008). 

Protecting urban American Indian young people from suicide. American Journal of Health Behavior, 

32(5), 465–476.
40 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Randell, B. P., Wang, W., Herting, J. R., & Eggert, L. L. (2006). Family factors predicting categories of 

suicide risk. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 15(3), 255–270.

Sharaf, A. Y., Thompson, E. A., & Walsh, E. (2009). Protective effects of self-esteem and family support 

on suicide risk behaviors among at-risk adolescents. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric 

Nursing, 22(3), 160–168.

Taliaferro, L. A., Rienzo, B. A., Miller, M. D., Pigg, R. M., & Dodd, V. J. (2008). High school youth and 

suicide risk: Exploring protection afforded through physical activity and sport participation. Journal of 

School Health, 78(10), 545–553.
41 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

RECOGNIZING AND RESPONDING TO WARNING SIGNS 

FOR SUICIDE

Warning signs are indications that someone may be in danger of suicide, either immediately or in the 

near future. 

Warning Signs for Suicide Prevention is a consensus statement developed by an expert working group 

brought together by the American Association of Suicidology. The group organized the warning signs by 

degree of risk, and emphasized the importance of including clear and specific direction about what to do 

if someone exhibits warning signs.

This consensus statement describes the general warning signs of suicide. Warning signs differ by age 

group, culture, and even individual. 

The recent advent of social media has provided another outlet in which warning signs may be exhibited. The 

differences in how and where warning signs may be exhibited demonstrate the importance of adapting 

gatekeeper training for the age group and cultural communities with whom the gatekeepers will be interacting.

Warning Signs for Suicide and Corresponding Actions

Seek immediate help from a mental health provider, 9-1-1 or your local emergency provider, or the National 

Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) when you hear or see any one of these behaviors: 

• Someone threatening to hurt or kill themselves

• Someone looking for ways to kill themselves: seeking access to pills, weapons, or other means

• Someone talking or writing about death, dying, or suicide, when these actions are out of the 

ordinary for the person

Seek help by contacting a mental health professional or calling 1-800-273-TALK for a referral if you 

witness, hear, or see anyone exhibiting one or more of these behaviors:

• Hopelessness—expresses no reason for living, no sense of purpose in life

• Rage, anger, seeking revenge

• Recklessness or risky behavior, seemingly without thinking

• Expressions of feeling trapped—like there’s no way out

• Increased alcohol or drug use

• Withdrawal from friends, family, or society

• Anxiety, agitation, inability to sleep, or constant sleep

• Dramatic mood changes

• No reason for living, no sense of purpose in life

If you or someone you know is in a suicidal crisis, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)—National 

Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
42 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

REFERENCE

Rudd, M. D., Berman, A. L., Joiner, T. E. Jr., Nock, M. K., Silverman, M. M., Mandrusiak, M., . . . Witte, 

T. (2006). Warning signs for suicide: Theory, research, and clinical applications. Suicide and LifeThreatening Behavior, 36(3), 255–262. Retrieved from http://www.wjh.harvard.edu/~nock/nocklab/

Rudd%20et%20al_warning%20signs%20for%20suicide_2006.pdf
43 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 1.E: Data on Youth Suicide

Suicide Deaths among Young People (CDC, 2009)

In 2009, the most recent year for which data are available, 1,852 young people between the ages of 13 to 

19 years died by suicide in the United States. Approximately 78 percent of the fatalities were male and 22 

percent were female.

During 2009, an additional 2,702 young people between the ages of 20 and 24 years died by suicide. 

About 84 percent of these fatalities were young men and 16.0 percent were young women. It is possible 

that many of these deaths could have been prevented if the young people had been identified as being at 

risk and had received mental health services while they were in high school.

The rates of suicide deaths among 13–24 year olds are as follows:

• American Indian/Alaska Native: 22.11 per 100,000

• White: 9.47 per 100,000

• Asian/Pacific Islander: 6.32 per 100,000

• Hispanic: 6.46 per 100,000

• Black: 5.74 per 100,000

In 2009, suicide was the third leading cause of death for people of both sexes and all races 13–19 years of 

age. The first and second leading causes of death were unintentional injuries and homicides, respectively.

Suicide Attempts among Young People (CDC, 2010)

Suicide deaths represent only a fraction of the toll that suicidal behavior takes among America’s youth. Data 

from the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)* revealed that in the 12 months preceding the survey: 

• 1 out of every 53 high school students (1.9 percent) reported having made a suicide attempt that 

was serious enough to be treated by a doctor or a nurse. This included 1 out of every 43 (2.3 

percent) female students and 1 out of every 62 (1.6 percent) male students.

The YRBS also revealed the following: 

• 1 out of every 16 high school students (6.3 percent) reported having attempted suicide at least 

once. This included 1 out of every 22 male students (4.6 percent) and 1 out of every 12 female 

students (8.1 percent). 

• 1 out of every 9 students (10.9 percent) had made a plan about how he or she would attempt 

suicide. 

• 1 out of every 7 students (13.8 percent) reported having seriously considered attempting suicide 

during the preceding 12 months. 

*The YRBS is a national survey of students in grades 9–12. It uses self-reports to monitor six categories 

of behaviors, including those that contribute to unintentional injuries, violence, and suicide.
44 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Suicide Methods (CDC, 2009)

These data are from 2009, the latest year for which data are available.

The leading methods (means) by which young people ages 13–19 took their own lives were:

• Suffocation, including hanging (45.2 percent of suicide deaths)

• Firearms (42.7 percent)

• Poisoning, including carbon monoxide (5.8 percent)

• All other means (6.3 percent)

The leading methods among males of this age were:

• Firearms (48.5 percent of suicide deaths)

• Suffocation, including hanging (40.9 percent)

• Poisoning, including carbon monoxide (4.3 percent)

• All other means (6.2 percent)

The leading methods among females of this age were:

• Suffocation, including hanging (60.3 percent of suicide deaths)

• Firearms (22.1 percent)

• Poisoning, including carbon monoxide (11.3 percent)

• All other means (6.4 percent)

REFERENCES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2009). Web-based injury statistics query and 

reporting system (WISQARS) [online]. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Retrieved 

from http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2010). Youth risk behavior surveillance—United 

States, 2009. Surveillance Summaries. MMWR, 59(SS-5). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/

pdf/ss/ss5905.pdf
45 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 1.F: Suicide and Substance Abuse Information Sheet

Substance abuse is a major risk factor for suicidal behavior among young people (Goldsmith, Pellmar, 

Kleinman, & Bunney, 2002; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.). The National Household 

Survey of Drug Abuse found that young people ages 12–17 who used alcohol or illegal drugs were more 

likely to be at risk for suicide than young people who did not use alcohol or drugs (SAMHSA, 2002).

• 19.6 percent of young people who reported using alcohol were found to be at risk of suicide. Only 

8.6 percent of young people who did not report using alcohol were at risk.

• 25.4 percent of young people who reported using illicit drugs were found to be at risk of suicide. 

Only 9.2 percent of young people who did not report using drugs were at risk. 

• 29.4 percent of young people who reported using an illicit drug other than marijuana were found 

to be at risk of suicide. Only 10.1 percent of those who did not report using a drug other than 

marijuana were at risk. 

Substance abuse, suicidality, and depression can share symptoms and risk factors, and often co-occur 

(Dunn, Goodrow, Givens, & Austin, 2008; Esposito-Smythers and Goldston, 2008). The use of alcohol 

and other drugs by adolescents can be an attempt to self-medicate, that is, to ease the pain and suffering 

associated with depression, family dysfunction, and other problems, many of which are also associated 

with suicide risk. However, a review of data on suicides by people of all ages led researchers to conclude 

that “the use of alcohol or other drugs might contribute substantially to suicides overall” (CDC, 2006). 

Others have come to similar conclusions, speculating that alcohol and drugs promote suicide by 

diminishing critical thinking skills and inhibitions (Makhija and Sher, 2007; Esposito-Smythers and 

Spirito, 2004). The effect on inhibition may also play a role in the choice of the lethality of the means of 

suicide. Young people who die by suicide are more likely to have used alcohol or drugs prior to their 

suicidal act than are young people who attempted suicide but did not die (DeJong et al., 2010). It is also 

important to understand that almost 96 percent of drug-related suicide attempts by adolescents ages 12–17 

who are seen in emergency departments involved prescription drugs (SAMSHA, 2010). 

Implications for Prevention

Substance abuse and suicidality can be addressed with common strategies including (1) identifying 

students suffering from suicidality, substance abuse, or depression and ensuring that they receive help and 

(2) enhancing overarching protective factors, such as connectedness, which can also improve the school 

environment and enhance academic achievement. It is also important to educate school staff, students, and 

parents about the role of alcohol and drugs—including prescription drugs—in adolescent suicide, as well 

as the relationship among substance abuse, suicide, and depression.

REFERENCES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2006). Editorial note. Morbidity and Mortality 

Weekly Report, 55, 1247–1248. 
46 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

DeJong, T., Overholser, J., & Stockmeier, C. (2010). Apples to oranges?: A direct comparison between 

suicide attempters and suicide completers. Journal of Affective Disorders, 124(1–2), 90–97. 

Dunn, M., Goodrow, B., Givens, C., & Austin, S. (2008). Substance use behavior and suicide indicators 

among rural middle school students. Journal of School Health, 78(1), 26–31. 

Esposito-Smythers, C., & Goldston, D. (2008). Challenges and opportunities in the treatment of 

adolescents with substance use disorder and suicidal behavior. Substance Abuse, 29(2), 5–17. 

Esposito-Smythers, C., & Spirito, A. (2004). Adolescent substance use and suicidal behavior: A review 

with implications for treatment research. Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research, 28, 77S–88S. 

Goldsmith, S., Pellmar, T., Kleinman, A., & Bunney, W. (Eds.). (2002). Reducing suicide: A national 

imperative. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. 

Makhija, N., & Sher, L. (2007). Preventing suicide in adolescents with alcohol use disorders. 

International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health, 19(1), 53–59.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies. (2002). 

Substance use and the risk of suicide among youths. The NSDUH Report. Retrieved from:

http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k2/suicide/suicide.htm

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies. (2010). The 

DAWN report: Emergency department visits for drug-related suicide attempts by adolescents: 2008. 

Rockville, MD. Retrieved from:http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/2k10/DAWN001/SuicideAttemptsHTML.pdf 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). (n.d.). HHS frequent questions: Does alcohol 

and other drug abuse increase the risk for suicide? HHS.gov. Retrieved from http://answers.hhs.gov/

questions/3176
47 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 1.G: Suicide and Bullying Information Sheet

Bullying is the ongoing physical or emotional victimization of a person by another person or group of 

people. Cyberbullying is an emerging problem in which people use new communication technologies, 

such as social media and texting, to harass and cause emotional harm to their victims.

Thirty-two percent of the Nation’s students (ages 12–18) reported being bullied during the 2007–2008 

school year (Dinkes, Kemp, & Baum, 2009). Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth 

experience more bullying (including physical violence and injury) at school than their heterosexual peers 

(Garofalo, Wolf, & Kessel, 1998; Bontempo & D’Augelli, 2002; Berlan, Corliss, Field, Goodman, & 

Austin, 2010). 

Both victims and perpetrators of bullying are at higher risk of suicide than their peers. Children who are 

both victims and perpetrators of bullying are at highest risk (Kim and Leventhal, 2008; Hay and 

Meldrum, 2010; Kaminski and Fang, 2009). 

Young people who are the victims of bullying are at increased risk for suicide (Kim, Leventhal, Koh, & 

Boyce, 2009) as well as increased risk for depression and other problems associated with suicide (Gini 

and Pozzoli, 2009; Fekkes, Pipers, and Verloove-Vanhorcik, 2004).

Many children who are bullied have personal characteristics that increase their risk of victimization 

(Arseneault, Bowes, & Shakoor, 2010). These characteristics include:

• Internalizing problems (including withdrawal, anxiety, and depression)

• Low self-esteem

• Low assertiveness

• Aggressiveness in early childhood (which can lead to rejection by peers and social isolation)

Many of these characteristics are also risk factors for suicidal behavior and ideation. The authors of the 

study cited above suggest that the same personal risk factors that can contribute to a child’s risk of 

suicidal behavior can also increase the child’s risk of being bullied. Being bullied further heightens the 

child’s risk for suicide (as well as for anxiety, depression, and other problems associated with suicidal 

behavior). These personal risk factors do not cause bullying, but they act in combination with other risk 

factors associated with: 

• The family, including child maltreatment, domestic violence, and parental depression (Arseneault, 

Bowes, & Shakoor, 2010)

• The school environment, including a lack of adequate adult supervision (which can be a result of 

the physical layout of a school), a school climate characterized by conflict, a lack of consistent 

and effective discipline (Swearer, Espelage, Vaillancourt, & Hymel, 2010), and school size 

(Bowes, Arseneault, Maughan, Taylor, Caspi, & Moffitt, 2009)
48 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

The effects of bullying (especially chronic bullying) on suicidal behavior and mental health are long term 

and may persist into adulthood (Arseneault, Bowes, and Shakoor, 2010). 

Implications for Prevention

Although there is little research on this issue, it would seem that the three areas in which prevention 

strategies could affect both bullying and suicide are 1) the school environment, 2) family outreach, and 

3) identifying and providing appropriate services to students with personal characteristics that increase 

their risk of being bullied, bullying others, or suicidal behavior. At the same time, attempts to find and 

use overarching prevention strategies should not ignore the need for interventions that specifically 

target each problem.

For additional information and resources, see the following:

• StopBullying.gov at http://www.stopbullying.gov/

• Stop Bullying Now at http://www.ask.hrsa.gov/results_materials.cfm?type=stopbully

REFERENCES

Arseneault, L., Bowes, L., & Shakoor, S. (2010). Bullying victimization in youths and mental health 

problems: ‘Much ado about nothing’? Psychological Medicine, 40, 717-729.

Berlan, E., Corliss, H., Field, A., Goodman, E., & Austin, S. (2010). Sexual orientation and bullying 

among adolescents in the Growing Up Today Study. Journal of Adolescent Health, 46(4), 366–71.

Bontempo, D., & D’Augelli, A. (2002). Effects of at-school victimization and sexual orientation on 

lesbian, gay, or bisexual youths’ health risk behavior. Journal of Adolescent Health, 30, 364–374.

Bowes, L., Arseneault, L., Maughan, B., Taylor, A., Caspi, A., & Moffitt, T., (2009). School, 

neighborhood, and family factors associated with children’s bullying involvement: A nationally 

representative longitudinal study. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 

48(5), 545-553.

Dinkes, R., Kemp, J., & Baum, K. (2009). Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2009 (NCES 2010–

012/NCJ 228478). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. 

Department of Education, and Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department 

of Justice. Washington, DC.

Fekkes, M., Pipers, F., & Verloove-Vanhorick, V. (2004). Bullying behavior and associations with 

psychosomatic complaints and depression in victims. Journal of Pediatrics, 144, 17–22.

Garofalo, R., Wolf, R., Kessel, S., Palfrey S. J., & DuRant, R.H. (1998). The association between health 

risk behaviors and sexual orientation among a school-based sample of adolescents. Pediatrics, 101(5), 

895–902.

Gini, G., & Pozzoli, T. (2009). Association between bullying and psychosomatic problems: A metaanalysis. Pediatrics, 123(3), 1059–1065.

Hay, C., & Meldrum, R. (2010). Bullying victimization and adolescent self-harm: Testing hypotheses 

from general strain theory. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39, 466–459.
49 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Kaminski, J., & Fang, X. (2009). Victimization by peers and adolescent suicide in three US samples. 

Journal of Pediatrics, 155(5), 683–8.

Kim, Y., & Leventhal, B. (2008). Bullying and suicide: A review. International Journal of Adolescent 

Medicine and Health, 20(2), 133–54.

Kim, Y., Leventhal, B., Koh, Y., & Boyce, W. (2009). Bullying increased suicide risk: Prospective study 

of Korean adolescents. Archives of Suicide Research, 13, 15–30.

Swearer, S., Espelage, D., Vailancourt, T., & Shelley, H. (2010). What can be done about school bullying? 

Linking research to educational practice. Educational Researcher, 39(1), 38–47.
50 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 1.H: The Implications of Culture on Suicide Prevention 

Information Sheet

Understanding the cultural context of suicidal behavior is essential for effective prevention. The American 

Psychological Association defines culture as “belief systems and value orientations that influence 

customs, norms, practices, and social institutions” of a group (APA, 2002). Culture profoundly influences 

how people think about suicide, death, and mental illness; how they display emotions or distress; and how 

they ask for or accept help. Additionally, culture is complex. The cultures of groups sharing common 

histories and/or heritages are not adequately described by categories such as “Hispanic,” “American 

Indian/Alaska Native,” “disabled,” “rural,” “southern,” or “LGBT.” Nor is culture static: Cultures change 

over time.

Creating an effective suicide prevention program requires understanding the cultures of your students and 

their families. Gaining this understanding entails working with students, families, community leaders, and 

“cultural mediators” or “cultural brokers.” They can provide insight into how you can design and 

implement culturally competent suicide prevention activities.

This information sheet draws upon one of the few comprehensive reviews of the research on the impact of 

culture on suicide and suicide prevention (Goldston, et al., 2008) to provide guidance on how you can 

work to ensure your suicide prevention activities will be appropriate and effective for the cultural context 

in which they will take place.

Goldston’s review of the literature pointed out the impact of culture upon the following:

• Risk and protective factors. For example, family support may be a strong protective factor in 

immigrant families. But such protection can weaken as families become “Americanized” and 

young people grow more independent.

• The precipitants of suicidal behavior. Culture influences how young people respond to events 

that escalate risk and trigger suicide attempts. In cultures in which peer influence is strong, for 

example, the suicide of a friend or schoolmate may provoke a “copycat” suicide. This may not 

happen in cultures where family influence is stronger than peer influence. In those cultures, a 

suicide attempt might be triggered if a vulnerable young person fails to meet family expectations 

in academic achievement.

• The understanding and expression of the warning signs of suicide. Culture influences how 

people display (or refrain from displaying) emotional distress. Some cultures may promote a 

stoicism that makes seeing warning signs difficult. Young people from other cultures may be 

reluctant to talk about their problems; rather they express them through behavior or demeanor.

• Help-seeking behaviors. Culture plays a large role in determining who (if anyone) young 

people turn to for emotional support. Young people from some cultures may prefer to consult 

family members or religious leaders rather than mental health professionals or other “outsiders.” 

Other cultures may value self-reliance and regard any help-seeking (even within the family) as 

a weakness.
51 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

• Trust. Young people and families from groups with histories of victimization, oppression, 

sectarian violence, or other forms of trauma may fear people who represent authority (including 

school and mental health personnel) or are from cultural groups other than their own.

Recommendations for ensuring that suicide prevention activities effectively respond to the cultures of 

your student population include the following:

• Actively show an understanding of and respect for the cultures of students and their families.

• Create culturally sensitive services that build on a culture’s strengths and protective factors.

• Engage families as active participants in guaranteeing a young person’s safety as well as in the 

therapeutic process.

• Respect and build upon the religious and spiritual heritage of students. Some families may 

seek the permission of spiritual or traditional leaders before they turn to mental health service 

providers or may want to offer both types of support to their children.

• Tailor prevention programs, especially gatekeeper programs and assessment services, to how 

cultures display—or conceal—distress.

• Be sensitive to stigma around issues of suicide, help-seeking, and mental health services. It may 

be useful to offer services in settings not associated with mental health treatment.

Creating culturally competent suicide prevention activities is inherently collaborative. It requires the input 

of school staff, students, families, mental health service providers, and others. What staff and mental 

health providers learn about the culture of students and families, and what students and families learn 

about suicide and mental health, may challenge their beliefs. But working together to bring the insights of 

both science and culture to bear upon suicide is the key to providing culturally competent and 

effective prevention.

REFERENCES

American Psychological Association (APA). (2002). Guidelines on multicultural education, training, 

research, practice, and organizational change for psychologists. Washington, DC: Author.

Goldston, D., Molock, S., Whitbeck, L., Murakami, J., Zayas, L., & Hall, G. (2008). Cultural 

considerations in adolescent suicide prevention and psychosocial treatment. American Psychologist, 

63(1), 14–31.

For additional information on cultural competence, please see:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2009). Culture Card: A guide to build 

cultural awareness: American Indian and Alaska Native (DHHS Publication No. SMA-08-4354). 

Rockville, MD: Author. Available at http://store.samhsa.gov/product/American-Indian-and-AlaskaNative-Culture-Card/SMA08-4354
52 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 1.I: Checklist of Suicide Prevention Activities 

Suicide Prevention Activities Yes No Not 

Sure If no or not sure

Protocols for helping students at risk of 

suicide

We have a written protocol for helping students 

who may be at risk of suicide that is consistent 

with the guidelines in Chapter 2 of this toolkit.

Review and implement 

steps in Chapter 2

We have a written protocol for responding to 

students who attempt suicide at school that is 

consistent with the guidelines in Chapter 2 of this 

toolkit. 

Review and implement 

steps in Chapter 2

We have established agreements with outside 

providers to provide effective and timely mental 

health services to our students.

Review and implement 

steps in Chapter 2

Protocols for after a suicide

We have a written protocol for responding to the 

suicide of a student or other member of the school 

community that is consistent with the guidelines in 

Chapter 3 of this toolkit.

Review and implement 

steps in Chapter 3

Staff who will implement the suicide response 

protocol are familiar with this protocol and the tools 

that will help them fulfill their responsibilities.

Review and implement 

steps in Chapter 3

We have identified community partners to help us 

in the event of a suicide. 

Review and implement 

steps in Chapter 3

Staff education and training

All professional and support staff have received 

information about the importance of school-based 

suicide prevention efforts, as described in Chapter 

4 of this toolkit.

Review and implement 

steps in Chapter 4

All professional and support staff have been 

trained to recognize and respond appropriately 

to students who may be at risk of suicide, as 

described in Chapter 4 of this toolkit.

Review and consider 

implementing steps in 

Chapter 4

Our school has staff who have been trained to 

assess, refer, and follow up with students identified 

as at risk of suicide, as described in Chapter 4 of 

this toolkit.

Review and consider 

implementing steps in 

Chapter 4

Parent/guardian education and outreach

We educate the parents of our students about 

suicide and related mental health issues, as 

described in Chapter 5 of this toolkit.

Review and consider 

implementing steps in 

Chapter 5
53 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Suicide Prevention Activities Yes No Not 

Sure If no or not sure

We have a sufficient level of participation in our 

programs to educate parents about suicide.

Review and consider 

implementing steps in 

Chapter 5

Student education

We have implemented at least one type of 

program to engage students in suicide prevention. 

Review and consider 

implementing steps in 

Chapter 6

Suicide prevention is integrated into other student 

health/mental health courses and initiatives.

Review and consider 

implementing steps in 

Chapter 6

Screening

We have implemented a suicide screening 

program, as described in Chapter 7 of this toolkit.

Review and consider 

implementing steps in 

Chapter 7

We have the support of parents, school staff, and 

community mental health providers for our suicide 

screening program.

Review and consider 

implementing steps in 

Chapter 7
54 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 1.J: Matrix of School-Based Suicide Prevention Programs

This matrix lists all of the school-based suicide prevention programs that are in either the National 

Registry of Evidence-Based Prevention Practices (NREPP) or the Best Practices Registry (BPR) as of 

October 2010. The criteria for NREPP and BPR are different. See Tool 1.K: Suicide Prevention Registries 

Information Sheet.

The matrix also indicates the primary and secondary components of each program. The primary 

component of the program is the one around which the program is built. In most cases, the primary 

component is education and training for staff or students. Secondary components are included in some of 

the programs to strengthen the primary component and/or to create a more comprehensive program. For 

each of the types of components listed, there is a separate chapter in this toolkit. 

SCHOOL-BASED SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMS

Program Primary Component Secondary Components

Programs in NREPP

American Indian Life Skills Development/

Zuni Life Skills Development

Student Program

Coping and Support Training (CAST) Student Program

Lifelines Student Program – Protocols

 – Staff Education and Training

 – Parent Education

Reconnecting Youth Student Program

SOS Signs of Suicide Student Program – Screening

 – Staff Education and Training

 – Parent Education

TeenScreen Schools and Communities Screening

Programs in BPR

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills 

Training (ASIST)

Staff Education and Training

Ask 4 Help! Suicide Prevention for Youth Student Program

Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk 

(AMSR)

Staff Education and Training
55 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Program Primary Component Secondary Components

Be A Link! Suicide Prevention 

Gatekeeper Training

Staff Education and Training

Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention 

Program: A High School Curriculum

Student Program – Staff Education and Training

 – Parent Education

Healthy Education for Life Student Program

Helping Every Living Person (HELP) 

Depression and Suicide Prevention 

Curriculum

Student Program

LEADS for Youth: Linking Education 

and Awareness of Depression and 

Suicide

Student Program – Protocols

Making Educators Partners in Youth 

Suicide Prevention

Staff Education and Training

More Than Sad: Suicide Prevention 

Education for Teachers and Other 

School Personnel

Staff Education and Training

Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) 

Gatekeeper Training

Staff Education and Training

QPRT Suicide Risk Assessment and 

Risk Management Training Program

Staff Education and Training

Recognizing and Responding to 

Suicide Risk (RRSR)

Staff Education and Training

RESPONSE: A Comprehensive High 

School-Based Suicide Awareness 

Program

Student Program – Protocols

 – Staff Education and Training

 – Parent Education

School Suicide Prevention 

Accreditation Program

Staff Education and Training

Sources of Strength Student Program

Suicide Alertness for Everyone 

(safeTALK)

Staff Education and Training

Youth Suicide Prevention SchoolBased Guide ChecklistsProtocols

Youth Suicide Prevention, Intervention, 

and Postvention Guidelines: A 

Resource for School Personnel

Protocols

For additional information on the programs in this matrix, see the “Resources” section at the end of the toolkit. 
56 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 1.K: Suicide Prevention Registries Information Sheet

Many of the chapters in this toolkit contain a matrix with information on school-based suicide prevention 

programs that have been developed by experts in the field. All of these programs are included in either the 

National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP) or the Best Practices 

Registry (BPR).

SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) rates programs whose 

developers have published research demonstrating that the program has achieved one or more positive 

behavioral outcomes. NREPP rates these programs on both of the following criteria:

1. The quality of the research demonstrating that the programs result in positive outcomes

2. The availability and quality of materials to help people use the program (e.g., training materials)

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center’s Best Practices Registry (BPR) includes programs and practices 

that meet standards set by experts in suicide prevention. 

Both of these registries are periodically updated. Check the Web sites for the most current listings. 

• NREPP (Section I: Evidence-Based 

Programs): http://www.sprc.org/bpr/section-i-evidence-based-programs

• BPR (Section III: Adherence to 

Standards): http://www.sprc.org/bpr/section-iii-adherence-standards

There may be effective programs and practices that are not included in NREPP or BPR because: 

• The programs’ developers have not submitted their programs to either registry

• The programs are still being rated

• In the case of NREPP, developers are completing their evaluation research
CHAPTER 2

Protocols for Helping 

Students at Risk of Suicide

59 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

PROTOCOLS 

FOR HELPING 

STUDENTS AT RISK 

FOR SUICIDE

The steps in Chapter 2 will answer these questions: 

• Who should develop protocols to meet the needs of students at risk of suicide?

• What outside sources of help will you need?

• What are essential steps in a protocol to help students who have been identified as 

possibly at risk of suicide?

• What are essential steps in a protocol to respond to a suicide attempt on campus?

• How can you prepare for a student’s return to school after a suicide attempt?

• How can you educate your staff about these protocols?

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO BE PREPARED TO HELP STUDENTS AT RISK OF 

SUICIDE?

Many high school students reported that they had seriously considered suicide in the past 

year, and 1 out of 53 will make an attempt serious enough to require medical attention 

(CDC, 2010a). Helping these young people lower their suicide risk is essential if schools 

are going to:

• Maintain a safe and secure school environment

• Promote the behavioral health of students, which enhances their 

academic performance

• Avoid liability related to suicides or suicide attempts by students
60 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

How schools can identify young people who may be at risk of suicide (or suffering from 

related problems, including substance abuse, depression, or bullying) will be discussed 

elsewhere in this toolkit. But before a school implements activities to identify students at 

risk of suicide, it must be prepared to: 

• Help students at risk for suicide preserve their safety and access behavioral 

health services

• Respond to the infrequent event in which a student tries to take his or her own 

life in the school or on the campus 

• Plan for the return of students after an absence related to suicide risk (including 

a suicide attempt or a hospitalization for the treatment of a mental health issue 

related to suicide risk)

Notifying Parents/Guardians

Parents or guardians of a young person identified as being at risk of suicide should be 

notified by the school and must be involved in consequent actions. Schools should comply 

with local, State, and Federal policies and laws regarding parental notification. If the school 

suspects the student’s risk status is the result of abuse or neglect, school staff must notify the 

appropriate authorities.

STEPS TO DEVELOP PROTOCOLS TO HELP STUDENTS AT RISK OF 

SUICIDE

Step 1: Convene a group to create protocols for helping students at risk of 

suicide.

This group should include staff that would normally be involved in the care of at-risk 

students, including your school’s mental health professionals: counselors, social workers, 

and school psychologists. The group should also include administrators, resource officers, 

teachers, and a member of the school Crisis Response Team. Tribal communities should 

include the Tribal Behavioral Health and Tribal Court representatives for children and 

families. If your school already has a process for identifying students at risk of suicide, 

you should include staff familiar with that process.

Tool 1.B: Chart of School Staff Responsibilities (see Chapter 1) will help you identify 

and record the names of members of the school staff who should be involved in 

this effort.

Step 2: Identify the suicide risk response coordinator.

Subsequent chapters in this guide will describe programs that schools can implement to 

increase the likelihood that students, staff members, and parents will be able to identify a 
61 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

student at risk for suicide. Everyone in the school should know that he or she must take 

suicidal behavior seriously and should know to whom to turn if he or she has a concern. 

Your planning group should take the following steps: 

• Clearly designate at least one individual and one alternate who will serve as the 

points of contact for anyone in the building who is concerned that a student may 

be at risk. In this guide, the term “suicide risk response coordinator” refers to this 

point of contact. 

• Make sure all staff know who the suicide risk response coordinator and the 

alternate are. Keep the list of contacts updated.

• Let all members of the school community know that anyone who has a concern 

should take immediate action to inform the school administrator, who will locate 

the suicide risk response coordinator or alternate. Also, let everyone know 

that a staff person should stay with the student until the suicide risk response 

coordinator arrives.

Step 3: Identify and involve mental health service providers to whom 

students can be referred.

Many schools cannot directly provide appropriate mental health services for students at 

risk of suicide. It is important for these schools to identify mental health service providers 

to whom students can be referred and to involve these service providers while developing 

these protocols. These service providers may include:

• Hospitals, especially emergency departments and psychiatric units

• Psychiatric hospitals 

• Community mental health centers

• Individual mental health service providers, including psychiatrists, psychologists, 

and social workers in both the public and private sectors

• Primary care providers

• Spiritual leaders or traditional healers to which members of some cultures may 

turn when confronted with behavioral health issues

In tribal communities, the hospitals, community mental health centers, and primary care 

providers may be part of the Indian Health Service (IHS). In this toolkit the general terms 

“hospitals,” “community mental health centers,” and “primary care providers,” should be 

understood to include IHS services and Tribal Behavioral Health and Social 

Service programs.

Tool 1.C: Chart of Community Partners (see Chapter 1) can help you identify and record 

names of mental health service providers. 

Tool 2.A: Questions for Mental Health Providers includes questions you can ask to 

determine if a provider can meet the needs of students at risk of suicide.
62 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Step 4: Develop a protocol to help students at risk for suicide.

It is critical to have a protocol in place for helping students who have been identified as 

being at potential risk of suicide, as described in Step 2. All staff should be aware of the 

protocol and follow it when appropriate. 

The protocol should include provisions for:

• Assessing suicide risk

• Notifying parents

• Referring to a mental health service provider

• Documenting the process

Tool 2.B: Protocol for Helping a Student at Risk of Suicide is a worksheet that you can 

use to create a protocol with the four steps listed above. 

Tools 2.B.1—2.B.6 are additional tools to help you take these steps. In each of the steps, 

consider the cultural backgrounds of the students to ensure their needs are met in an 

effective and appropriate way. 

Assessing suicide risk.

School staff should make sure that all students who are identified potentially at risk for 

suicide are subsequently assessed for suicide risk. Suicide risk assessment is the process 

of determining an individual’s level of risk, i.e., low, medium, or high. Such an 

assessment is critical to developing an individualized plan for ensuring the safety of the 

student and providing support and treatment. It should only be done by mental health 

professionals who have been trained to assess risk using a scientifically validated process. 

There are several ways that school staff can ensure that students at risk for suicide are 

appropriately assessed:

• School mental health staff who have been trained in suicide risk assessment can 

conduct the assessment.

• The student can be referred to a mental health provider who has been trained in 

suicide assessment.

• The school can contact a mental health provider or the National Lifeline to 

identify a local provider who can conduct a suicide risk assessment.

Tool 2.B.1: Suicide Risk Assessment Resources lists several suicide assessment trainings 

you can offer to your mental health staff and some of the assessment tools used by trained 

providers. 

Tool 2.B.2: Self-Injury and Suicide Risk Information Sheet provides some background 

information and additional resources on the problem of self-injury and its relationship to 

suicidal behavior.
63 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Notifying parents.

Parents or guardians (including guardians appointed by a Tribal Court) must always be 

notified when there appears to be any risk that a student may harm himself or herself, 

unless doing so would exacerbate the situation. Keep in mind that you will need to be 

prepared for a range of responses and emotions.

Tool 2.B.3: Guidelines for Notifying Parents provides a list of topics to discuss with 

parents of children who are at risk of suicide. It includes suggestions for ways that staff 

can provide support to parents and engage them as partners in helping the student.

Tool 2.B.4: Parent Contact Acknowledgement Form is a form to be signed by the parents, 

acknowledging that they were notified about their child’s suicide risk. 

Referring the student to a community provider.

Students at risk for suicide may need to be referred to community resources. If your 

school already has a policy addressing referrals to health and mental health service 

providers, your referral procedure for suicide risk should be consistent with this policy, as 

well as any district, State, tribal, Bureau of Indian Education, or Federal policies 

and laws.

Tool 2.B.5: Guidelines for Student Referrals provides a description of the information that 

should be given to a mental health service provider to facilitate a referral.

Documenting the process.

It is essential to document each step in the process by which a student is identified as 

possibly being at risk for suicide and assessed for suicide risk. This will help preserve the 

safety of the student and ensure communication among school staff, parents, and service 

providers. 

Tool 2.B.6: Student Suicide Risk Documentation Form is a form you can adapt for your 

documentation needs. 

Supporting Parents 

Parents may experience a complex set of conflicting emotions when they are told their child 

may be suicidal, such as shock, anxiety, fear, confusion, embarrassment, anger, belligerence, 

and denial. They may experience some or all of these reactions. Parents usually need 

support and/or assistance to come to terms with their child’s risk and their reaction to this 

risk, as well as the need to get professional help for their child and possibly for themselves. 
64 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Using Referral Data to Understand Your Students’ Needs

The data included on referral forms can also be used to guide your suicide prevention 

efforts. One school district studies and patterns data from its mental health referral forms, 

including student information related to grade, race, gender, the month/year the referral was 

generated, and the specific problems or risk factors presented. By analyzing data over a 

10-year period, they were able to identify the months with the greatest number of referrals 

for depressive symptoms and the specific grade levels with the highest referral rates. These 

data are allowing the school district and its mental health service partners to prepare and 

plan for this annual increase in referrals.

Maintaining Confidentiality

Student information needs to be kept confidential for both ethical and legal reasons, 

including a parent’s or student’s right to privacy under FERPA. This can be challenging. 

Here are some suggestions for ensuring confidentiality:

• Classroom discussions about particular incidents and students should be avoided 

entirely because they violate a student’s right to confidentiality. 

• Gossip about particular incidents and students should also be discouraged.

• If a student who has attempted suicide wishes to talk about his or her experience 

with other students in class, the teacher and a mental health professional or 

administrator should meet with the student to discuss what he or she would like to 

disclose and the possible risks of doing so. 

• Staff should be provided with the information necessary to work with the student 

and preserve the young person’s safety. Staff do not need clinical information about 

the student or a detailed history of his or her suicidal risk or behavior. Discussion 

among staff should be restricted to the student’s treatment and support needs.

Step 5: Develop a protocol for responding to a suicide attempt in the 

school or on the school campus.

Although students infrequently attempt suicide in schools or on a high school campus, 

such incidents do occur. Schools need to be prepared for such an event. 

Tool 2.C: Protocol for Responding to a Student Suicide Attempt outlines the actions to be 

taken and people to be contacted when a student attempts suicide on a school campus.
65 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Step 6: Plan for managing a student’s return to school.

Schools should be prepared to facilitate the reentry of students who have missed school 

because of a suicide attempt or related behavioral health issue. Returning to school can be 

difficult for these young people:

• They may worry about the reactions of their peers and teachers. 

• They may have problems catching up on their school work. 

• They may be taking medications that can interfere with their academics. 

These problems can create additional stress for students who are already under significant 

emotional strain. They need considerable support and monitoring, especially during the 

first several months they are back at school, during any school crisis, or near the 

anniversary of their attempt or mental health crisis.

A staff member should be assigned to facilitate the student’s return to the school. This 

might be a teacher or other staff member particularly trusted by the student and his or her 

family. Or it might be a school psychologist, social worker, or counselor. This staff 

member will be the primary point of contact for parents, hospital staff, clinicians, and 

school staff while the student is out of school, and he or she will oversee the student’s 

reentry. Parents should be engaged in every step of this process. A reentry plan should be 

developed through consensus of the family, school, and providers.

Tool 2.D: Guidelines for Facilitating a Student’s Return to School will provide you with 

specific steps you should take to make sure that these high-risk students get the help they 

need in preparing to return to school after a suicide attempt or mental health crisis.

Step 7: Help staff understand the protocols.

All staff members need to be familiar with the protocols for helping students at risk of 

suicide in case they are called upon to participate in implementing the procedures 

outlined in the protocols. Briefing school staff about these protocols will also educate 

them about suicide risk and the problems experienced by students returning to school 

after a suicide attempt or mental health crisis.

The protocols should be revisited every year. It is important to determine whether any 

staff member responsible for a specific activity has left his or her job. If so, his or her 

protocol responsibility should be assigned to someone else. It is also important to ensure 

that all new staff become familiar with these procedures. 
66 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Suggestions for Educating Staff about Your School’s Protocols

• Educate staff about the protocols during staff meetings or in-service trainings.

• Educate new staff about the protocols as part of their orientation.

• Remind staff about protocols in newsletters or communications on related issues.

• Include copies of the protocols in teacher handbooks and the school crisis plan.

For additional resources on developing protocols for responding to students who 

attempt suicide at school or who are at risk of suicide, see the Crisis Response/

Postvention section in the “Resources” section at the end of the toolkit.
67 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

CHAPTER 2: PROTOCOLS FOR HELPING 

STUDENTS AT RISK OF SUICIDE TOOLS

Tool 2.A: Questions for Mental Health Providers

Tool 2.B: Protocol for Helping a Student at Risk of Suicide

Tool 2.B.1: Suicide Risk Assessment Resources

Tool 2.B.2: Self-Injury and Suicide Risk Information Sheet

Tool 2.B.3: Guidelines for Notifying Parents 

Tool 2.B.4: Parent Contact Acknowledgement Form

Tool 2.B.5: Guidelines for Student Referrals 

Tool 2.B.6: Student Suicide Risk Documentation Form

Tool 2.C: Protocol for Responding to a Student Suicide Attempt

Tool 2.D: Guidelines for Facilitating a Student’s Return to School
68 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 2.A: Questions for Mental Health Providers

Asking the following questions of a mental health provider can help determine if he or she can meet the 

needs of students at risk of suicide.

1. Are you able to provide services to people of high school age?

2. What types of services can you provide to high school students?

3. What are your major clinical skills and interests? Do you have any expertise in assessing and 

treating young people who are at risk of suicide?

4. What experience and capacity do you have for providing services to LGBT youth and to the 

specific ethnic groups that make up your school’s student body?

5. Where are you located?

6. What process do you follow after being called with a referral? 

7. What process do you follow in the event of a suicide crisis?

8. Would you be able to come to our school to see a student if necessary? 

9. How long might it take for you to see a student with urgent problems? With non-urgent problems? 

10. What kind of follow-up can you provide students and the school? 

11. Do you offer support groups for students or parents?

12. What insurance plans do you accept? 

13. Do you have a sliding fee scale for people who pay out-of-pocket? What is the range of the 

fee scale?

14. What are your procedures for ensuring student confidentiality?
69 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 2.B: Protocol for Helping a Student at Risk of Suicide

Suicide Risk Response Coordinator: _____________________________________

Backup to Coordinator: ____________________________________________

Actions Contacts Supporting materials 

Conduct a suicide risk 

assessment.

Who conducts assessment:

T

Tool 2.B.1: Suicide Risk 

Assessment Resources

ool 2.B.2: Self-Injury and 

Suicide Risk Information Sheet

Notify parents/guardians Who notifies parents/guardians: Tool 2.B.3: Guidelines for 

Notifying Parents 

Tool 2.B.4: Parent Contact 

Acknowledgement Form

Refer for services if needed. Community mental health services 

provider:

Tool 2.B.5: Guidelines for 

Student Referrals

Document the process Who completes the documentation 

form: 

Tool 2.B.6: Student Suicide 

Risk Documentation Form
70 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 2.B.1: Suicide Risk Assessment Resources

(TO BE USED WITH TOOL 2.B) 

Advanced Training in Suicide Risk Assessment

There are a variety of advanced training programs that may be used to teach appropriate professionals 

to assess suicide risk. They include:

• Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)

• Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk (AMSR)

• Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk (RRSR)

• QPRT Suicide Risk Assessment and Risk Management Training Program

For more information about these training programs, see Chapter 4 and the “Resources” section in 

this toolkit.

Assessment Tools

There are a variety of assessment tools that qualified mental health professionals can use to assess student 

suicide risk. They include: 

• Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (Pearson,

http://www.pearsonassessments.com/HAIWEB/Cultures/en-us/Productdetail.htm?Pid=015-8018-

443&Mode=summary) 

• Suicide Ideation Questionnaire (PAR,

http://www4.parinc.com/Products/Product.aspx?ProductID=SIQ)

• Suicide Ideation Questionnaire–JR (SIQ–JR) (PAR,

http://www4.parinc.com/Products/Product.aspx?ProductID=SIQ)

• Suicide Probability Scale (Western Psychological Services,

http://portal.wpspublish.com/portal/page?_pageid=53,69317&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL)

• Inventory of Suicide Orientation—30 (Pearson,

http://psychcorp.pearsonassessments.com/haiweb/cultures/en-us/productdetail.

htm?pid=PAg126&Community=CA_Psych_AI_Behavior) 

All of these tools are published, validated by research, have been used with adolescents, and take about 10 

minutes to complete. The Beck Scale is also available in Spanish.

The Suicide Prevention Unit of the Los Angeles Unified School District uses a simpler assessment for 

students who may be at risk for suicide

(http://notebook.lausd.net/pls/ptl/docs/PAGE/CA_LAUSD/FLDR_ORGANIZATIONS/STUDENT_

HEALTH_HUMAN_SERVICES/SHHS/MENTAL/SMH_SUICIDE_PREVENTION/SMH_SUICIDE_

PREVENTION_RESOURCE/INTERVENING%20WITH%20SUICIDAL%20YOUTH%202009.PDF).
71 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 2.B.2: Self-Injury and Suicide Risk Information Sheet

(TO BE USED WITH TOOL 2.B) 

Self-injury (also known as self-mutilation or deliberate self-harm) is defined as intentionally and often 

repetitively inflicting socially unacceptable bodily harm to oneself without the intent to die. Self-injury 

includes a wide variety of behaviors, such as cutting, burning, head banging, picking or interfering with 

healing of wounds, and hair pulling.

The relationship between self-injury and suicide is complicated. Researchers believe self-injury is a 

behavior separate and distinct from suicide and the result of a very complex interaction among cognitive, 

affective, behavioral, environmental, biological, and psychological factors. However, in some people the 

self-destructive nature of self-injury may lead to suicide.

Students who injure themselves intentionally should be taken seriously and treated with compassion. 

Teachers or other staff who become aware of a student who is intentionally injuring himself or herself 

should refer the student to the school counselor, psychologist, social worker, or nurse. Staff should offer 

to accompany the student to the proper office and help broach the issue with the relevant mental 

health professional.

School mental health staff should: 

• Assess the student for both self-injury and risk of suicide

• Notify and involve the parents/guardians

• Design appropriate treatment for the student’s current behaviors or refer the student to a mental 

health provider in the community for treatment

The following resources can be used to understand and prepare to respond to self-injury by students:

• Prevention Researcher. February 2010, Vol. 17, No.1 focuses on adolescent 

self-injury: http://www.tpronline.org/issue.cfm/Adolescent_Self_Injury

• Self-Injurious Behavior Webcast. October 2006, 1 hour, includes an interview with Dr. Janice 

Whitlock: http://www.albany.edu/sph/coned/t2b2injurious.htm

• Cornell Research Program on Self-Injurious Behavior in Adolescents and Young Adults. Web site 

contains numerous informational materials: 

http://www.crpsib.com

[Developed in consultation with Richard Lieberman M.A., NCSP, School Psychologist/Coordinator, Los Angeles 

Unified School District, Suicide Prevention Unit]
72 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 2.B.3 Guidelines for Notifying Parents

(TO BE USED WITH TOOL 2.B) 

Notifying Parents and Guardians

Parents or guardians should be contacted as soon as possible after a student has been identified as being at 

risk for suicide. The person who contacts the family is typically the principal, school psychologist, or a staff 

member with a special relationship with the student or family. Staff need to be sensitive toward the family’s 

culture, including attitudes towards suicide, mental health, privacy, and help-seeking.

1. Notify the parents about the situation and ask that they come to the school immediately.

2. When the parents arrive at the school, explain why you think their child is at risk for suicide.

3. Explain the importance of removing from the home (or locking up) firearms and other dangerous 

items, including over-the-counter and prescription medications and alcohol.

4. If the student is at a low or moderate suicide risk and does not need to be hospitalized, discuss 

available options for individual and/or family therapy. Provide the parents with the contact 

information of mental health service providers in the community. If possible, call and make an 

appointment while the parents are with you.

5. Ask the parents to sign the Parent Contact Acknowledgement Form confirming that they were 

notified of their child’s risk and received referrals to treatment. 

6. Tell the parents that you will follow up with them in a few days. If this followup conversation 

reveals that the parent has not contacted a mental health provider: 

• Stress the importance of getting the child help

• Discuss why they have not contacted a provider and offer to assist with the process 

7. If the student does not need to be hospitalized, release the student to the parents.

8. If the parents refuse to seek services for a child under the age of 18 who you believe is in danger 

of self-harm, you may need to notify child protective services that the child is being neglected.

9. Document all contacts with the parents.

Supporting Parents through Their Child’s Suicidal Crisis

Family Support is Critical. When an adolescent experiences a suicidal crisis, the whole family is in 

crisis. If at all possible, it is important to reach out to the family for two very important reasons: 

First, the family may very well be left without professional support or guidance in what is often a state of 

acute personal shock or distress. Many people do not seek help—they don’t know where to turn. 

Second, informed parents are probably the most valuable prevention resource available to the 

suicidal adolescent.
73 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Remember, a prior attempt is the strongest predictor of suicide. The goal of extending support to the 

parents is to help them to a place where they can intervene appropriately to prevent this young person 

from attempting suicide again. Education and information are vitally important to family members and 

close friends who find themselves in a position to observe the at-risk individual. 

The following steps can help support and engage parents:

1. Invite the parents’ perspective. State what you have noticed in their child’s behavior (rather than 

the results of your assessment) and ask how that fits with what they have observed. 

2. Advise parents to remove lethal means from the home while the child is possibly suicidal, just as 

you would advise taking car keys from a youth who had been drinking. 

3. Comment on how scary this behavior is and how it complicates the life of everyone who cares 

about this young person. 

4. Acknowledge the parents’ emotional state, including anger, if present. 

5. Acknowledge that no one can do this alone—appreciate their presence. 

6. Listen for myths of suicide that may be blocking the parent from taking action. 

7. Explore reluctance to accept a mental health referral, address those issues, explain what to expect. 

8. Align yourself with the parent if possible...explore how and where youth get this idea...without 

in any way minimizing the behavior. 

[Adapted from DiCara, C., O’Halloran, S., Williams, L., & Canty-Brooks, C. (2009). Youth suicide prevention, 

intervention & postvention guidelines. Augusta, ME: Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program. Retrieved 

from http://www.maine.gov/suicide/docs/Guidelines%2010-2009--w%20discl.pdf]
74 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 2.B.4: Parent Contact Acknowledgement Form

(TO BE USED WITH TOOL 2.B) 

This form is an example that can be used to verify that the parents have been advised of a student’s 

suicide risk.

Parent Contact Acknowledgement Form

School ________________________________________________

This is to verify that I have spoken with school staff member ___________________________________

___ on __________________________ (date), concerning my child’s suicidal risk. I have been advised to 

seek the services of a mental health agency or therapist immediately.

I understand that _________________________________ (name of staff) will follow up with me, my 

child, and the agency to whom my child has been referred for services within two weeks.

Parent Signature: __________________________________ Date: ___________

Faculty Member Signature: ____________________________ Date: ___________

[From DiCara, C., O’Halloran, S., Williams, L., & Canty-Brooks, C. (2009). Youth suicide prevention, intervention 

& postvention guidelines (p. 45). Augusta, ME: Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program. Retrieved 

from http://www.maine.gov/suicide/docs/Guidelines%2010-2009--w%20discl.pdf]
75 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 2.B.5: Guidelines for Student Referrals

(TO BE USED WITH TOOL 2.B) 

Schools should be prepared to give the following information to providers. Note: Parents’ permission may 

be required to share this information.

1. Basic student information (age, grade, race/ethnicity, and parents’ or guardians’ names, addresses, 

and phone numbers).

2. How did the school first become aware of the student’s potential risk for suicide?* 

3. Why is the school making the referral?

4. What is the student’s current mental status?

5. Are the student and parents/guardians willing or reluctant to meet with a mental health 

service provider?

6. What other agencies are involved (names and information)?

7. Who pays for the referral and possible treatment?

8. Where is the best place to meet with the student (e.g., school, student’s home, therapist’s office, 

emergency room)?

*Be sure that parental consent meets the requirements of FERPA as follows:

1. Specify the records that may be disclosed.

2. State the purpose of the disclosure.

3. Identify the party or class of parties to whom the disclosure may be made. 

See 34 CFR § 99.30.
Tool 2.B.6: Student Suicide Risk Documentation Form

(TO BE USED WITH TOOL 2.B)

This form is an example that can be used to document the school’s response to a student who has been 

identified at risk for suicide. It includes the results of a suicide risk assessment and the actions taken on 

the student’s behalf.

Put this form on your school’s letterhead. Consider adapting it for your school’s policies, procedures, and 

student population.

Student information

Date student was identified as possibly at risk:

Name of student:

If Native American, tribal status:

Name of school:

Birth date:

Gender: 

Grade:

Name of Parent/Guardian/Tribal Court appointed guardian:

Parent/Guardian’s telephone number(s): (1) (2) 

Tribal Court appointed guardian’s telephone number: OR

Directions to residence:

76 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT
77 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

IDENTIFICATION OF RISK

Who identified student as being at risk:

• Self

• Parent

• Teacher

• Other staff: 

• Student/friend

• Other: 

Reason for concern: 

ASSESSMENT

Action

•

 taken to assess for suicide risk:

School staff [name ] conducted 

assessment 

• Outside provider [name ] conducted 

assessment 

• Other: 

Date of assessment: 

Type of assessment conducted: 

Results of assessment: 

NOTIFICATION OF PARENT/GUARDIAN

Staff who notified parent/guardian/Tribal Court appointed guardian: 

Date notified: 

Parent acknowledgement form signed: Yes No If no, reason: 

REFERRAL

•

Type of referral

School personnel: 

• Outsider provider: 

• Hospital: 

• Other: 

Date of referral: 

Follow-up scheduled: 
78 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

SOURCES:

DiCara, C., O’Halloran, S., Williams, L., & Canty-Brooks, C. (2009). Youth suicide prevention, 

intervention & postvention guidelines. Augusta, ME: Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program. Retrieved 

from http://www.maine.gov/suicide/docs/Guidelines%2010-2009--w%20discl.pdf. From the following 

forms: Report of Risk, p. 44 and Student Record of Actions Taken, p. 47.

Suicide Prevention Unit, Los Angeles Unified School District, School Mental Health—Suicide Prevention. 

(n.d.). Risk assessment referral data. Retrieved August 27, 2010 from http://notebook.lausd.net/pls/ptl/docs/

PAGE/CA_LAUSD/FLDR_ORGANIZATIONS/STUDENT_HEALTH_HUMAN_SERVICES/SHHS/

MENTAL/SMH_SUICIDE_PREVENTION/SMH_SUICIDE_PREVENTION_RESOURCE/RISK%20

ASSESMENT%20REFERRAL%20DATA%20FINAL.PDF
79 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 2.C: Protocol for Responding to a Student Suicide Attempt

The first adult to reach the student should:

1. Stay with the student or designate one or more other adults to stay with the student. Never leave the 

student alone.

2. Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency service provider. 

3. Contact the Student Risk Response Coordinator. 

The Student Risk Response Coordinator should:

1. Contact additional personnel as necessary. These may include community crisis service providers, 

law enforcement, the school superintendent and other administrators, the school nurse, guidance 

counselor, social worker, psychologist, and other school staff.

2. Contact the student’s parents to tell them what has occurred with their child. Make arrangements to 

meet at the appropriate location, for example, the school psychologist’s office or the emergency room 

of the local hospital.

3. Contact emergency medical services if needed.

4. After the immediate crisis, make a plan to follow up with the parents and student regarding 

arrangements for medical and/or mental health services.

The Response Team includes:

Suicide Risk Response Coordinator(s): _

Backup Coordinator(s): _

Emergency Medical Services: _

[Compiled from the DiCara, C., O’Halloran, S., Williams, L., & Canty-Brooks, C. (2009). Youth suicide prevention, 

intervention & postvention guidelines. Augusta, ME: Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program. Retrieved 

from http://www.maine.gov/suicide/docs/Guidelines%2010-2009--w%20discl.pdf]
80 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 2.D: Guidelines for Facilitating a Student’s Return to School

These guidelines will help staff plan for a student’s return to school after a suicide attempt or mental 

health crisis. In addition to meeting regularly with the student, the staff member facilitating the student’s 

return should do the following:

1. Become familiar with the basic information about the case, including:

• How the student’s risk status was identified

• What precipitated the student’s high-risk status or suicide attempt

• What medication(s) the student is taking

2. With the family’s agreement, serve as the school’s primary link to the parents and maintain 

regular contact with the family:

• Call or meet frequently with the family.

• Facilitate referral of the family for family counseling, if appropriate.

• Meet with the student and his or her family and relevant school staff (e.g., the school 

psychologist or social worker) about what services the student will need upon returning 

to school.

3. Serve as liaison to other teachers and staff members, with permission of the family, regarding the 

student, which could involve the following:

• Ask the student about his or her academic concerns and discuss potential options.

• Educate teachers and other relevant staff members about warning signs of another 

suicide crisis.

• Meet with appropriate staff to create an individualized reentry plan prior to the student’s 

return and discuss possible arrangements for services the student needs.

• Modify the student’s schedule and course load to relieve stress, if necessary.

• Arrange tutoring from peers or teachers, if necessary.

• Work with teachers to allow makeup work to be extended without penalty.

• Monitor the student’s progress.

• Inform teachers and other relevant staff members about the possible side effects of the 

medication(s) being taken by the student and the procedures for notifying the appropriate 

staff member (e.g., the school nurse, psychologist, or social worker) if these side effects 

are observed. When sharing information about medical treatment, you need to comply with 

FERPA (defined in the Introduction to this toolkit) and HIPAA (which protects release of an 

individual’s health information).
81 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

4. Follow up behavioral and/or attendance problems of the student by:

• Meet with teachers to help them understand appropriate limits and consequences of behavior

• Discuss concerns and options with the student

• Consult with the school’s discipline administrator

• Consult with the student’s mental health service provider to understand whether, for example, 

these behaviors could be associated with medication being taken by the student

• Monitor daily attendance by placing the student on a sign-in/sign-out attendance sheet to be 

signed by the classroom teachers and returned to the attendance office at the end of the school 

day 

• Make home visits or have regularly scheduled parent conferences to review attendance and 

discipline record

• Facilitate counseling for the student specific to these problems at school

5. If the student is hospitalized, obtain the family’s agreement to consult with the hospital staff 

regarding issues such as:

• Deliver classwork assignments to be completed in the hospital or at home, as appropriate

• Allow a representative from school to visit the student in the hospital or at home with the 

permission of the parents

• Attend treatment planning meetings and the hospital discharge conference with the 

permission of the parents

6. Establish a plan for periodic contact with the student while he or she is away from school.

7. If the student is unable to attend school for an extended period of time, determine how to help 

him or her complete course requirements.

[Compiled with information from DiCara, C., O’Halloran, S., Williams, L., & Canty-Brooks, C. (2009). Youth 

suicide prevention, intervention & postvention guidelines. Augusta, ME: Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program. 

Retrieved from http://www.maine.gov/suicide/docs/Guidelines%2010-2009--w%20discl.pdf]

CHAPTER 3

After a Suicide

85 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

AFTER A SUICIDE

The steps in Chapter 3 will answer these questions: 

• Who in our school and our community needs to be involved in developing our 

protocols for responding to a suicide?

• What are the key components of immediate and long-term suicide 

response protocols?

• How should we inform all staff about the protocols?

POSTVENTION, SURVIVORS, AND CONTAGION 

The terms “postvention,” “survivors,” and “contagion” are commonly used by suicide 

prevention experts and practitioners when discussing the aftermath of suicide. As they 

may be unfamiliar to most people, definitions are given below:

A survivor (or suicide survivor) is a person who has experienced the suicide of a family 

member, friend, or colleague. A person who attempts suicide but does not die is an 

attempt survivor.

Postvention refers to programs and interventions for survivors following a death by 

suicide. These activities help alleviate the suffering and emotional distress of suicide 

survivors and help prevent suicide contagion.

Suicide contagion is “a process by which the suicide or suicidal behavior of one or more 

persons influences others to commit or attempt suicide” (Davidson and Gould, 1989). 

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO DEVELOP PROTOCOLS FOR RESPONDING TO 

A SUICIDE?

Any death can have a profound effect on young people, especially the unexpected death 

of a peer or someone they know:

• The death of someone their own age can threaten the adolescent sense 

of invulnerability.

• The death of a role model can produce conflicting feelings, including loss 

and betrayal.

• The suicide death of someone they know can leave them susceptible to 

suicide contagion.

• The suicide death may make it difficult for students to focus on their academics 

and other regular activities.
86 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Schools need to prepare to do the following:

• Help students cope in the short term by creating a protocol that describes specific 

steps to take after a suicide 

• Continue helping students cope over the long term, since the emotional fallout 

from a suicide can continue for months, and even years, after the event

A High School Principal Talks about the Need to Be Prepared

We didn’t have a suicide prevention plan. The superintendent didn’t think it was critical. 

There was a mindset of “it doesn’t happen here.” We had a crisis plan for when a student 

died in an automobile collision or a staff member got cancer, but suicide just wasn’t on our 

agenda. When it happened, it just blew us out of the water because we weren’t ready for it.

An effective response to a suicide can also avoid the infrequent but very real phenomenon 

of suicide contagion. Adolescents are more susceptible to suicide contagion than people 

of other ages (Gould, Jamieson, & Romer, 2003b). 

Groups of related suicides, called suicide clusters, are approximately 1–2 percent of all 

adolescent suicides in the United States (Gould, et al., 1990). While clusters can include 

students in the same school, it is not necessary for young people to have direct contact 

with one another to be part of a suicide cluster. A suicide by a celebrity or a person whom 

teens see as a role model can raise vulnerable teens’ risk for suicide, as can widely 

publicized suicides by other adolescents. 

How a school responds to a suicide (as well as the way in which the media reports on a 

suicide) can help prevent—or promote—suicide contagion (sometimes called “copycat 

suicides”). Unintentionally glamorizing a youth who died by suicide, suggesting that the 

death was caused by a single problem (such as breaking up with a girlfriend or 

boyfriend), or providing a detailed description of how a youth died can raise suicide risk 

among other vulnerable young people. It is important to work with the press to ensure 

that the public’s right to know is balanced with the damage that inappropriate reporting 

can cause. The campus needs to be managed for safety. Reporters and other outsiders 

should not be allowed free access to the campus and your students.
87 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Many teens use the Internet and social media to keep in touch with friends, obtain news 

and information, and otherwise exchange information with those in the larger world. 

Social media include blogs, Internet bulletin boards, wikis (Web sites that allow any user 

to add and edit content), and social networking sites of different types. 

• Keep informed of the types of information—and misinformation—students may 

be sharing in the wake of a suicide or attempted suicide. Responses may include 

posting comments that dispel rumors, reinforcing important information such as 

the connection between mental illness and suicide, and offering resources such as 

for mental health care (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and 

Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC), 2011).

• Identify students who may need help in coming to terms with the event. 

To the extent possible, social media sites that should be monitored include the following:

• Online condolence pages that many funeral homes provide to clients

• Blogs that many newspapers use to display readers’ comments on their stories

• Social networking sites (including the deceased student’s page)

Schools Use Social Media to Prevent Suicide and Contagion 

After a suicide, one school district monitored its students’ use of social media to prevent 

additional tragedies. The school had access to a Facebook page as well as a young writer’s Web 

site monitored by the project’s coordinator through which students could express their feelings. 

The local funeral home also had an online condolence page that students used. The writer’s 

project coordinator, funeral home director, and school counseling director all maintained close 

contact and closely followed the emotional outpouring of students through the sites. The school 

counselors and administrators, along with the community mental health crisis coordinator, 

watched these social media channels closely to identify youth who might be at risk of suicide or 

need additional support. 

Another district provided students with hotline numbers and other information that they 

could post on their personal Facebook pages.

A suicide will also profoundly affect staff. Staff members will experience their own grief 

as well as the stress of responding to the emotional pain of students, parents, and other 

members of the community. Staff members may feel a deep sense of guilt if they think 

that they could have done something to prevent the death. It is essential to provide 

resources that support the emotional health of the staff, especially those responsible for 

responding to the suicide, as they may be under intense emotional pressure.
88 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

STEPS TO DEVELOP PROTOCOLS FOR RESPONDING TO A SUICIDE

Step 1: Convene a group to create the protocols.

The protocol planning group should include:

• Staff members who know the school personnel and their roles, skills, and 

personalities and the community partners who will be involved in responding to a 

suicide (see Step 2 below)

• An administrator

• Mental health professionals, such as the counselor, social worker, or school 

psychologist (if your school has one on staff)

• A member of your school’s Crisis Response Team

Tool 1.B: Chart of School Staff Responsibilities (see Chapter 1) will help you identify and 

record the names of members of the school staff who should be involved in this effort.

Step 2: Identify community partners who can help.

Schools may need the help of other individuals, agencies, and organizations in the 

community while responding to the suicide of a student. They may, for example, need the 

help of a local mental health center to address the emotional needs of students and staff, 

and the local police department (including Tribal and Bureau of Indian Affairs Law 

Enforcement agencies in tribal communities) to get information about the death or secure 

the campus. It is also important to involve representatives of the cultural and religious 

communities represented by your students when preparing these protocols. These 

representatives can provide essential insight into the grieving traditions of these 

communities. These partners should be involved in the planning process so that they can 

inform the process and be ready and willing to participate should a tragedy occur.

Tool 1.C: Chart of Community Partners (see Chapter 1) can help you identify and record 

names of mental health service providers. 

Step 3: Create a protocol for your school’s immediate response to a 

suicide.

Before beginning the process of creating a protocol for your school, first investigate what 

is already in place:

• Are there any State, district, Bureau of Indian Education, or tribal protocols or 

procedures to which your protocol and activities must conform?

• If so, are they recommended or mandated, and how appropriate are they for the 

needs of your school?

• Does your school have a crisis response plan, and if so, does the plan include 

procedures for responding to a suicide?
89 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

If you determine that you need to create a protocol or modify an existing protocol, it is 

important to include the following:

• A Suicide Response Coordinator, who will be responsible for contacting 

the members of the Suicide Response Team in the event of a suicide and for 

coordinating the work of the team. A backup coordinator should be designated for 

times when the coordinator is unavailable.

• A procedure for deciding when to implement the protocol, as well as what 

aspects of the protocol to implement, based on the nature of the event. The 

decision will probably be made by the principal in consultation with the suicide 

response coordinator.

• The actions the school needs to take immediately after a suicide, the person 

responsible for each action, and a backup person to undertake these tasks if 

the lead person is not available. Although one individual, such as the principal, 

may be responsible for several actions, it is important not to assign too many 

responsibilities to a single staff member, since this could interfere with his or her 

ability to complete these tasks. Avoid assigning tasks to individuals who will not 

be able to function effectively in a highly emotional environment.

• Contact information for people and agencies you may need to notify, such as 

the police or a grief counselor. The community partners you identified in Step 

2 may be able to help you determine which agencies and individuals need to be 

involved. You should confirm with these individuals and organizations that they 

are the appropriate parties to contact and that they consent to being identified in 

the school’s suicide response protocol as parties to contact if a suicide occurs.

• Resources that your staff need to implement the protocol, such as a letter to send 

to parents or guidelines for talking to the media. The sample materials included 

in this toolkit may be used as is or modified to fit your needs.

Tool 3.A: Immediate Response Protocol is a worksheet that you can use or adapt to create 

an Immediate Response Protocol for your school. Tools 3.A.1–3.A.9 are additional tools 

to help you implement the Immediate Response Protocol. 
90 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

When to Use the Immediate Response Protocol

Whether you use some or all of the steps in the Immediate Response Protocol will depend 

on the situation. Some events might warrant implementing selected activities rather than the 

entire protocol. Consider these examples:

• The suicide of a student that occurs at the beginning of a long school vacation or 

over the summer. School staff need to be made aware that students’ emotions may 

resurface when they return to school.

• The suicide of a person to whom many students have a strong emotional attachment, 

such as an actor, musician, or athlete, or the suicide of a young person which 

receives substantial media coverage. School staff need to be sensitive to the 

sometimes emotional response of young people to the death of someone they did 

not know. 

The Suicide Response Coordinator (in consultation with other members of the Suicide 

Response Team, if appropriate) should decide on the level of implementation warranted by 

the incident at hand.

Step 4: Include the Immediate Response Protocol in your school’s crisis 

response plan.

Many districts and schools have crisis response plans. These plans often include protocols 

for responding to a natural disaster, medical emergency, and serious violence. Your 

suicide response protocols should be included in your school’s crisis response plan. 

Step 5: Create a protocol for the long-term response to a suicide.

The suicide of a member of the school community, especially of a student, has 

consequences that will continue long after the event. You should also create a protocol 

that describes actions to take in the weeks, months, and years after a suicide. These 

actions include: 

• Appropriately memorializing the deceased in the yearbook and at graduation 

• Preparing for the anniversary of the death or the birthday of the deceased in ways 

that do not increase the likelihood of creating suicide contagion 
91 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

The Long-Term Response Protocol, like the Immediate Response Protocol, specifies the 

actions to take, who is responsible for each action, and relevant contacts and resources.

Tool 3.B: Long-Term Response Protocol is a worksheet that you can use or adapt to create 

a long-term response protocol. Tool 3.B.1 provides guidance on dealing with 

anniversaries of a death.

Step 6: Help staff understand the protocols.

The people responsible for implementing the protocols, including those in a backup role, 

should be familiar with the protocols and their specific duties. They should be asked if 

they feel they can carry out these assignments. Some members of your staff may have 

had experiences that may make it emotionally difficult for them to undertake particular 

responsibilities. Once responsibilities have been assigned, provide each staff member 

with copies of the protocols and any resources they may need. All school personnel 

should be briefed about the protocols. 

Step 7: Update the protocols.

The protocols may need to be periodically updated, for example, to recruit new members 

of the Suicide Response Team if team members retire, leave their jobs, or take sabbaticals 

or parental leave. Changes in the community—such as the closing of a mental health 

center—may also require changes to the protocol. Someone (perhaps the Suicide 

Response Coordinator) should: 

• Periodically review the protocol

• Decide whether the protocol needs to be updated 

• Convene a small group (perhaps the original planning team) to update 

the protocol

For additional resources on developing protocols after a suicide, see the section Crisis 

Response/Postvention in the “Resources” section at the end of the toolkit. 
92 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

CHAPTER 3. AFTER A SUICIDE TOOLS 

School staff need to remember that postvention helps prevent additional suicides by mitigating the effect 

that a suicide has on vulnerable students. 

Tool 3.A: Immediate Response Protocol

Tool 3.A.1: Sample Script for Office Staff

Tool 3.A.2: Sources of Postvention Consultation 

Tool 3.A.3: Guidelines for Working with the Family

Tool 3.A.4: Guidelines for Notifying Staff

Tool 3.A.5: Sample Announcements

Tool 3.A.6: Sample Letter to Families

Tool 3.A.7: Talking Points for Students and Staff after a Suicide

Tool 3.A.8: Guidelines for Memorialization

Tool 3.A.9: Guidelines for Working with the Media

Tool 3.B: Long-Term Response Protocol 

Tool 3.B.1: Guidelines for Anniversaries of a Death
93 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 3.A: Immediate Response Protocol

Use this worksheet to:

1. Understand the steps your school will need to take in the event of a suicide. The steps will 

not necessarily be taken in the order outlined on this worksheet. Some of them will need to be 

implemented simultaneously. 

2. Assign members of the school staff to be responsible for each task. 

3. Record the names and telephone numbers of people and agencies who will be called in the event 

of a suicide.

4. Understand and, if necessary, modify the resources that will be used in implementing 

the protocol.

Ensure the following:

• Each member of the Suicide Response Team has a copy of the completed protocol.

• Each person who has lead or backup responsibility for a particular step has the tools necessary 

to complete this task. As soon as these roles are assigned, the individuals should read the tools 

(and modify if necessary) so that they will be prepared to respond immediately in the event of 

a suicide.

• The approaches you use are appropriate to the cultural and spiritual traditions of the students in 

your school.

Suicide Response Coordinator—responsible for contacting the Suicide Response Team in the event of a 

suicide and coordinating the work of the team: 

Name_____________________________________

Backup Suicide Response Coordinator—responsible for contacting and coordinating the team if the 

Suicide Response Coordinator is unavailable: 

Name_____________________________________
Steps to Take in 

Immediate Aftermath Staff Responsible External Contacts (Phone Numbers) Tools 

Notify key individuals 

1. Verify death Lead: 

Backup: 

Police: 

Medical examiner:

2. Ensure that staff know Lead: Tool 3.A.1: 

how to respond to Sample Script 

inquiries and manage the Backup: for Office Staff 

campus for safety 

3. Notify superintendent’s 

office 

Lead: 

Backup: 

Superintendent : 

.

Backup/weekends: 

4. Notify district crisis team* Lead: 

Backup: 

District crisis team: 

Weekend/vacation/late 

night contacts: 

5. Notify schools attended 

by family members of the 

deceased 

Lead: 

Backup: 

Other schools in district: 

.

6. Contact and coordinate 

with external mental 

health professionals 

Lead: 

Backup: 

Community mental health 

providers: 

External crisis response 

professionals: 

Tool 3.A.2: 

Sources of 

Postvention 

Consultation 

7. Reach out to and work 

with the family of the 

deceased 

Lead: 

Backup: 

Tool 3.A.3: 

Guidelines for 

Working with the 

Family 

*In tribal communities, Bureau of Indian Education schools notify the main office and tribal schools notify 

the principal. 

94 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT 
95 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Steps to Take in 

Immediate Aftermath Staff Responsible External Contacts(Phone Numbers) Tools

Notify school community

8. Notify all faculty and staff Lead: 

Backup: 

Tool 3.A.4: 

Guidelines for 

Notifying Staff

9. Coordinate notifying 

students about the deaths

Lead: 

Backup: 

Tool 3.A.5: 

Sample 

Announcements

10. Notify families of students 

about the death and the 

school’s response

Lead: 

Backup: 

Tool 3.A.6: 

Sample Letter to 

Families 

Support students and staff

11. Provide staff with 

guidance in talking to 

students

Lead: 

Backup: 

Tool 3.A.7: 

Talking Points 

for Students 

and Staff After a 

Suicide

12. Provide support to staff Lead:

Backup: 

Community mental health 

professionals:

13. Identify, monitor, and 

support students who 

may be at risk

Lead: 

Backup: 

14. Implement steps to help 

students with emotional 

regulation

Lead: 

Backup: 

15. Participate in and/or 

advise on appropriate 

memorialization in the 

immediate aftermath

Lead: 

Backup: 

Tool 3.A.8: 

Guidelines for 

Memorialization

Minimize risk of contagion through the media

16. Work with press/media Lead: 

Backup: 

Local media contact(s): Tool 3.A.9: 

Guidelines for 

Working with the 

Media

17. Monitor social media Lead: 

Backup: 
96 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 3.A.1: Sample Script for Office Staff

(USE WITH TOOL 3.A)

This script can help receptionists or other people who answer the telephone to respond appropriately to 

telephone calls received in the early stages of the crisis.

Hello, _______________ School. May I help you?

Take messages on non-crisis-related calls.

For crisis-related calls, use the following general schema:

• Police or other security professionals—Immediate transfer to principal.

• Family members of deceased—Immediate transfer to principal or anyone else they want to reach 

at the school. If principal is not available immediately, ask if they would like to speak to a school 

psychologist or social worker.

• Other school administrators—Give out basic information on death and crisis response and offer 

to transfer call to principal or others.

• Parents regarding their child’s immediate safety—Reassure parents if you know their child 

was not involved and outline how children are being served and supported. If child may have 

been involved, transfer to a crisis team member who may have more information.

• Persons who call with information about others at risk—Take down information and get it 

to a crisis team member. Take a phone number where the person can be called back by a crisis 

team member.

• Media—Take messages and refer to principal.

• Parents generally wanting to know how to respond—Explain that children and staff are 

being supported. Take messages to give to Student Services staff from parents needing more 

detailed information.

• Where to send parents who arrive unannounced on the scene—Set aside a space for parents 

to wait and get information. Any person removing a student from school must be on the annual 

registration form as the parent or guardian. Records must be kept of who removed the child 

and when.

[From Madison Metropolitan School District. (Revised 2005). Sudden death-suicide-critical incident: Crisis 

response procedures for principals and student services staff. Retrieved from 

http://www.mhawisconsin.org/Data/Sites/1/media/gls/gls_madisoncrisisplan.pdf]
97 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 3.A.2: Sources of Postvention Consultation 

(USE WITH TOOL 3.A)

There are local resources that can provide consultation on postvention in the event of a school suicide. 

Since the availability of these resources varies depending on a school’s location, you should investigate 

the resources in your area as part of your planning. 

Some valuable sources of such consultation are organizations and agencies that receive Garrett Lee Smith 

Memorial Grant funding. To identify Garrett Lee Smith grantees in your area, see the Suicide Prevention 

Resource Center Web site. 

For State grantees: http://www.sprc.org/states/all/contacts

For tribal grantees: http://www.sprc.org/grantees/listing

The following are national organizations that provide consultation for developing a postvention response 

or that can put you in touch with other experts. 

National Association of School Psychologists (NASP): NASP sponsors a National Emergency Assistance 

Team (NEAT) that provides consultation to schools and, in some cases, makes site visits. NEAT members 

are listed with their contact information at http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/neat.aspx. 

Schools may also contact NASP during business hours at 301-657-0270 and ask for the NASP 

Executive Director.

National Institute for Trauma and Loss: The National Institute for Trauma and Loss sponsors the TLC 

Referral Directory of Certified Trauma and Loss Specialists, School Specialists, Consultants, and 

Consultant Supervisors. The directory is accessible to TLC members only. Membership is automatic after 

completing requirements for Level-1 Certification as a Certified Trauma Specialist. Schools are 

encouraged to assign a representative to receive certification training as a School Specialist (Level-1) in 

order to access the directory or as a Consultant (Level-2) to acquire expertise as a local crisis consultant. 

Level-1 Certification requires a 3-day TLC training and completion of online courses and an essay exam. 

Directory: http://www.starrtraining.org/tlc

Certification details: http://www.starrtraining.org/certification

To access listings outside of the United States and Canada, call 877-306-5256 or 586-263-4232.

Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) State pages: Consult the State pages on the Suicide 

Prevention Resource Center Web site for the contact and organizations working to prevent suicide in your 

State. They may be able to assist you in identifying expert consultants for postvention support. 

SPRC State Pages: http://www.sprc.org/states

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Crisis Center Locator: Through this locator, you can find your 

local crisis center, which may be able to provide postvention support for schools. 

See http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/CrisisCenters/Locator.aspx
98 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 3.A.3: Guidelines for Working with the Family

(USE WITH TOOL 3.A)

It is important to work with the family of a student who died by suicide. They will often appreciate the 

support of the school community, and their cooperation can be valuable for effective postvention. The 

principal or a representative of the school should request to visit the family in their home. It may be useful 

for a pair of representatives to visit together so that they can support one another during the visit. It is 

important to respect the cultural and religious traditions of the family related to suicide, death, grieving, 

and funeral ceremonies. 

The school representative(s) should:

• Offer the condolences of the school.

• Inquire about funeral arrangements. Ask if the funeral will be private or if the family will allow 

students to attend. 

• Ask if the parents know of any of their child’s friends who may be especially upset.

• Provide the parents with information about grief counseling.

• Ask the family if they would like their child’s personal belongings returned. These could include 

belongings found in the student’s locker and desk as well as papers and projects they may want 

to keep.

• Briefly explain to the parents what the school is doing to respond to the death.
99 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 3.A.4: Guidelines for Notifying Staff

(USE WITH TOOL 3.A)

These preparations should be made by the individual responsible for notifying faculty and staff about a 

suicide so that a system will be in place in the event of a death.

• Create two telephone trees: 

(1) To notify the Suicide Response Team 

(2) To notify all staff members of a suicide that occurs during non-school hours

• Hold a staff meeting before school opens to review the postvention process. Provide staff with 

any information they may need to address the situation when the students arrive. 

• Identify which Suicide Response Team members will be responsible for notifying staff if news 

of a suicide arrives while school is in session. These people should be provided with completed 

copies of a suicide death announcement (samples of which can be found in Tool 3.A.5). 

• Announcements should always be made in classrooms. They should never be made over the 

school’s public address system or in assemblies. In classrooms, school staff familiar to the students 

can make the announcements and then assess students’ reactions, respond to students’ concerns, 

provide support, and identify those who may need additional help. This will help students cope 

with intense emotions they may experience. The toolkit After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools, 

developed by SPRC/AFSP, is available online at http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/library/

AfteraSuicideToolkitforSchools.pdf and http://www.afsp.org/files/Surviving/toolkit.pdf
100 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 3.A.5: Sample Announcements

(USE WITH TOOL 3.A)

Sample Announcements for Use with Students after a (Possible) Suicide

1. After the school’s Suicide Response Team has been mobilized, it is critical for administration 

and/or crisis team members to prepare a statement about the death for release to faculty 

and students. The announcement should include the facts as they have been officially 

communicated to the school. Announcements should not overstate or assume facts not in 

evidence. If the official cause of death has not as yet been ruled suicide, avoid making that 

assumption. There are also many instances when family members insist that a death that may 

appear to be suicide was, in fact, accidental. 

2. The Suicide Response Team should either visit all classrooms to give the announcement to 

staff or present the announcement at a meeting of all staff called by the building administrator 

as soon as possible following the death. If a meeting is held, the building administrator and 

a member of the Suicide Response Team could facilitate the meeting. The goals of such a 

meeting are to inform the faculty, acknowledge their grief and loss, and prepare them to 

respond to the needs of the students. Faculty will then read the announcement to their students 

in their homerooms (or other small group) so that students get the same information at the same 

time from someone they know. 

3. The sample announcements in this section are straightforward and are designed for use with 

faculty, students, and parents, as appropriate. Directing your announcement to the grade level of 

the students is also important, especially in primary or middle schools. A written announcement 

should be sent home to parents with additional information about common student reactions to 

suicide and how to respond, as well as suicide prevention information. 
101 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Day 1

Sample Announcement for When a Suicide has Occurred, Morning, Day 1

This morning we heard the extremely sad news that _________________________ took his/her life last 

night. I know we are all saddened by his/her death and send our condolences to his/her family and 

friends. Crisis stations will be located throughout the school today for students who wish to talk to a 

counselor. Information about the funeral will be provided when it is available, and students may attend 

with parental permission.

Sample Announcement for a Suspicious Death Not Declared Suicide: Morning, Day 1 

This morning we heard the extremely sad news that _________________________ died last night from a 

gunshot wound. This is the only information we have officially received on the circumstances surrounding 

the event. I know we are all saddened by __________________________________’s death and send our 

condolences to his/her family and friends. Crisis stations will be located throughout the school today for 

students who wish to talk to a counselor. Information about the funeral will be provided when it is 

available; students may attend with parental permission.

Sample Announcement, End of Day 1

At the end of the first day, another announcement to the whole school prior to dismissal can serve to join 

the whole school in their grieving in a simple, non-sensationalized way. In this case, it is appropriate for 

the building administrator to make an announcement similar to the following over the loud speaker: 

Today has been a sad day for all of us. We encourage you to talk about ___________________________

________’s death with your friends, your family, and whoever else gives you support. We will have 

special staff here for you tomorrow to help in dealing with our loss. Let us end the day by having the 

whole school offer a moment of silence for ____________________________________________.
102 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Day 2

Sample Announcement, Day 2

On the second day following the death, many schools have found it helpful to start the day with another 

homeroom announcement. This announcement can include additional verified information, re-emphasize 

the continuing availability of in-school resources, and provide information to facilitate grief. Here’s a 

sample of how this announcement might be handled: 

We know that ________________________________’s death has been declared a suicide. Even though 

we might try to understand the reasons for his/her doing this, we can never really know what was going 

on that made him/her take his/her life. One thing that’s important to remember is that there is never just 

one reason for a suicide. There are always many reasons or causes, and we will never be able to figure 

them all out. 

Today we begin the process of returning to a normal schedule in school. This may be hard for some of us 

to do. Counselors are still available in school to help us deal with our feelings. If you feel the need to 

speak to a counselor, either alone or with a friend, tell a teacher, the principal, or the school nurse, and 

they will help make the arrangements. 

We also have information about the visitation and funeral. The visitation will be held tomorrow evening at 

the ______________________________ Funeral Home from 7 to 9 p.m. There will be a funeral Mass 

Friday morning at 10:00 a.m. at ____________________________________ Church. In order to be 

excused from school to attend the funeral, you will need to be accompanied by a parent or relative, or 

have your parent’s permission to attend. We also encourage you to ask your parents to go with you to the 

funeral home.

[Reprinted from Underwood, M., & Dunne-Maxim, K. (1997). Managing sudden traumatic loss in the schools. 

Piscataway, N.J.: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.] 
103 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 3.A.6: Sample Letter to Families

(USE WITH TOOL 3.A)

Dear Parents,

I am writing this letter with great sadness to inform you that one of our sophomore students took his life 

last evening. Our thoughts and sympathies go out to his family and friends.

All of the students were given the news of the death by their teacher in homeroom this morning. I have 

included a copy of the announcement that was read to them. Members of our crisis team met with students 

individually and in groups today and will be available to the students over the next days and weeks to 

help them cope with the death of their peer. 

Information about funeral services will be given to the students once it has been made available to us. 

Students will be released to attend services only with parental permission and pick up, and we strongly 

encourage you to accompany your child to any services. 

I am including information about suicide and some talking points that can be helpful to you in discussing 

this issue with your teen. I am also including a list of school and community resources should you feel 

your child is in need of additional assistance. If you need immediate assistance, call the National Suicide 

Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Please do not hesitate to call me or one of the counselors if you have questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

(Principal)

[Adapted from AFSP. After a suicide: A toolkit for schools. Newton, MA: Education Development Center, Inc. Available 

online at http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/library/AfteraSuicideToolkitforSchools.pdf 

and http://www.afsp.org/files/Surviving/toolkit.pdf]
104 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 3.A.7: Talking Points for Students and Staff after a Suicide

(USE WITH TOOL 3.A) 

Talking Points What to Say

Give accurate information about suicide.

Suicide is a complicated behavior. Help students 

understand the complexities.

“Suicide is not caused by a single event such as 

fighting with parents, or a bad grade, or the breakup 

of a relationship.” 

“In most cases, suicide is caused by mental health 

disorders like depression or substance abuse 

problems. Mental health disorders affect the way 

people feel and prevent them from thinking clearly 

and rationally. Having a mental health disorder is 

nothing to be ashamed of.” 

“There are effective treatments to help people who 

have mental health disorders or substance abuse 

problems. Suicide is never an answer.”

Address blaming and scapegoating.

It is common to try to answer the question “why” 

by blaming others for the suicide.

“Blaming others for the suicide is wrong, and it’s not 

fair. Doing that can hurt another person deeply.” 

Do not talk about the method.

Talking about the method can create images 

that are upsetting, and it may increase the risk 

of imitative behavior by vulnerable youth.

“Let’s focus on talking about the feelings we are left 

with after _______________’s death and figure out 

the best way to manage them.”

Address anger.

Accept expressions of anger at the deceased. 

Help students know these feelings are normal.

“It is okay to feel angry. These feelings are 

normal, and it doesn’t mean that you didn’t care 

about_____. You can be angry at someone’s 

behavior and still care deeply about that person.”

Address feelings of responsibility.

Help students understand that the only person 

responsible for the suicide is the deceased.

Reassure those who have exaggerated feelings 

of responsibility, such as thinking they should 

have done something to save the deceased or 

seen the signs. 

“This death is not your fault. We cannot always see 

the signs because a suicidal person may hide them 

well.” 

“We cannot always predict someone’s behavior.” 

Encourage help-seeking.

Encourage students to seek help from a trusted 

adult if they or a friend are feeling depressed or 

suicidal.

“We are always here to help you through any 

problem, no matter what. Who are the people you 

would go to if you or a friend were feeling worried, 

depressed, or had thoughts of suicide?”

[Adapted from AFSP. After a suicide: A toolkit for schools. Newton, MA: Education Development Center, Inc. Available 

online at http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/library/AfteraSuicideToolkitforSchools.pdf

and http://www.afsp.org/files/Surviving/toolkit.pdf]
105 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 3.A.8: Guidelines for Memorialization

(USE WITH TOOL 3.A)

Memorializing a student who has died by suicide can be a difficult process. Faculty, students, and the 

family of the deceased may have different ideas of what is appropriate, inappropriate, or useful. It is important 

to be prepared to respond to and channel the need of people to grieve into activities that will not raise the 

suicide risk of vulnerable students or escalate the emotional crisis. The following guidelines will help you 

prepare to face these challenges:

1. Establish a policy on memorialization for all deaths (including suicide). This policy should 

address the issues below. The family should be consulted in each case.

• Flags: Flags should not be flown at half-staff. Only the President or a governor has the 

authority to order flags to be flown at half-staff. 

• Memorials: Spontaneous memorials (such as collections of objects and notes) should not be 

encouraged and should be respectfully removed within a very short time. A memorial can be 

an upsetting reminder of a suicide and/or romanticize the deceased in a way that increases 

risk for suicide imitation or contagion.

• Assemblies: Large memorial assemblies should not be convened as the emotions generated at 

such a gathering can be difficult to control.

• Graduations: Acknowledge a death at graduation but do not glamorize the death or let the 

acknowledgement overwhelm the event. Acknowledge a death toward the beginning of an 

event and then move on.

• Funerals: Do not hold funerals at the school. This can forever associate the room in which 

services are held with the death. 

2. Consult with the family about memorials. The person designated as the liaison with the family 

needs to be prepared to explain the memorialization policy to the family while respecting their 

wishes as well as the grieving traditions associated with their culture and religion.

3. Solicit ideas to memorialize the deceased in positive ways that do not put other students at risk 

or contribute to the emotional crisis that occurs after a death. Consult with the family before 

implementing any of the following ideas:

• Invite students to write personal and lasting remembrances in a memory book located in the 

guidance office, which will ultimately be given to the family.

• Encourage students to engage in service projects, such as organizing a community service 

day, sponsoring behavioral health awareness programs, or becoming involved in a peer 

counseling program.

• Invite students to make donations to the library or to a scholarship fund in memory of 

the deceased.
106 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

4. Be prepared to address the unique aspects of a suicide death:

• Use the opportunity to educate students, families, and the community about suicide.

• Monitor social media sites for signs of risk to other students.

SOURCES:

Adapted from AFSP. After a suicide: A toolkit for schools. Newton, MA: Education Development Center, 

Inc. Available online at http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/library/AfteraSuicideToolkitforSchools.

pdf and http://www.afsp.org/files/Surviving/toolkit.pdf

Kerr, M., Brent, D., McKain, B., & McCommons, P. (2003). Postvention standards manual: A guide for a 

school’s response in the aftermath of sudden death (4th ed.). Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh/Western 

Psychiatric Institute and Clinic.

Underwood, M., Fell, F. T., & Spinazzola, N. A. (2010). Lifelines postvention: Responding to suicide and 

other traumatic death. Center City, MN: Hazelden Publishing.
107 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 3.A.9: Guidelines for Working with the Media

(USE WITH TOOL 3.A)

The staff person responsible for working with the media should prepare a written statement for release to 

those media representatives who request it. The statement should include the following:

• A very brief statement acknowledging the death of the student that does not include details about 

the death

• An expression of the school’s sympathy to the survivors of the deceased 

• Information about the school’s postvention policy and program

All other staff (including school board members) should:

• Refrain from making any comments to or responding to requests from the media

• Refer all requests from the media to the person responsible for working with the media

Media representatives should:

• Not be permitted to conduct interviews on the school grounds

• Not be allowed to attend parent and student group meetings in order to protect information shared 

by parents who are concerned about their children

• Be provided with a copy of SPRC’s information sheet “At-a-Glance: Safe Reporting on Suicide,” 

which can be found at http://www.sprc.org/library/at_a_glance.pdf

[Adapted from Kerr, M., Brent, D., McKain, B., & McCommons, P. (2003). Postvention standards manual: A guide 

for a school’s response in the aftermath of sudden death (4th ed.). Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh/Western 

Psychiatric Institute and Clinic.]
108 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 3.B: Long-Term Response Protocol

Steps to Take in LongTerm Aftermath Staff Responsible Relevant Contacts Resources

1. Coordinate 

implementation of longterm response protocol 

Lead: 

Backup: 

2. Monitor and assist 

vulnerable students 

Lead: 

Backup: 

Community mental 

health professionals: 

3. Prepare for 

anniversaries of the 

death 

Lead: 

Backup: 

Tool 3.B.1: 

Guidelines for 

Anniversaries 

of a Death

4. Prepare for long-term 

memorials

Lead: 

Backup: 

5. Prepare to provide 

support to siblings of 

the deceased who may 

be enrolling in the high 

school

Lead: 

Backup: 
109 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 3.B.1: Guidelines for Anniversaries of a Death

(USE WITH TOOL 3.B) 

A revisiting of grief feelings can resurface on or near the anniversary date of a tragic loss. In some 

cultures there is a memorial ceremony held about one year after a death. Faculty and staff, if reminded of 

the anniversary, can be prepared to monitor and support students at that time. Adults are not immune to 

this, and so staff members may also revisit the loss. The postvention team may consider a follow-up 

program on the anniversary date. The school should be prepared for grief and emotions associated with 

the death that may also occur on other occasions, such as:

• The birthday of the person who died

• Holidays

• Athletic or other events in which the deceased would have participated

• The start of a school year

• Proms

• Graduation

The following actions can help a school prepare for such an anniversary:

• Remind staff to be aware that students may experience emotional reactions

• Educate staff about the warning signs of suicide and how to recognize and respond to students 

who may be at risk or experience severe emotions

• Remind staff that they may also experience an emotional reaction on this date

• Have grief counselors or mental health professionals on call 

[Adapted from Kerr, M., Brent, D., McKain, B., & McCommons, P. (2003). Postvention standards manual: A guide 

for a school’s response in the aftermath of sudden death (4th ed.). Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh/Western 

Psychiatric Institute and Clinic.]

111 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

CHAPTER 4

Staff Education and Training

113 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

STAFF EDUCATION 

AND TRAINING

The steps in Chapter 4 will answer these questions: 

• Who needs to be involved in developing the plan to educate and train staff?

• What suicide-related information do all staff need to know? 

• What is “gatekeeper training,” and who needs it? 

• What type of suicide assessment training is recommended and should the staff 

receive it?

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT SCHOOL STAFF RECEIVE EDUCATION AND 

TRAINING?

Raising staff awareness about suicide and training staff to take steps that prevent it are 

important components of any school suicide prevention program:

• All staff should be made aware that suicide poses a risk to their students and that 

the school is taking steps to reduce this risk. 

• All staff should be trained to recognize the warning signs of suicide in young 

people and to take appropriate action if they become aware of a student who 

displays these warning signs. 

• Appropriate mental health professionals should be trained to assess the suicide 

risk of individual students.

STEPS FOR CHOOSING AND IMPLEMENTING SUICIDE PREVENTION 

EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR STAFF

Step 1: Convene a group to assess your staff’s education and training needs.

For additional resources, see Staff Education and Training in the “Resources” section 

at the end of the toolkit.

Tool 1.B: Chart of School Staff Responsibilities (see Chapter 1) will help you identify and 

record the names of members of the school staff who should be involved in this effort.
114 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Step 2: Provide all staff with information and awareness about suicide and 

the school’s role in suicide prevention.

All school staff should understand that suicide poses a risk to students and that the school 

is taking steps to reduce this risk. The staff should be made aware that the school’s 

mission includes providing a safe environment in which education can take place and that 

the mental health of students affects their academic performance. 

You may want to combine suicide awareness education with information about your 

school’s suicide prevention activities (i.e., the activities described in Chapters 2–7 of this 

toolkit). It may be less intimidating for staff to learn about the risk that suicide poses to 

students if, at the same time, they hear that the school is taking steps to reduce this risk. 

And, understanding the risk that suicide poses to their students will motivate the staff to 

support the school’s suicide prevention activities.

Tool 1.A: Suicide Prevention: Facts for Schools (see Chapter 1) includes an overview of 

the problem of adolescent suicide and the role schools can play in preventing suicide.

Tool 1.D: Risk and Protective Factors and Warning Signs Factsheets (see Chapter 1) 

describes the factors that increase the risk of adolescent suicide as well as those that 

protect against it. The factsheets also detail warning signs that a young person may be at 

immediate risk.

The Getting Started part of the “Resources” section contains a number of publications 

and factsheets that may be used to educate staff about suicide and suicide prevention. 

Step 3. Train staff to identify suicide risk factors and warning signs among 

students and to take appropriate action.

Training all school staff—faculty; administrators; office staff; staff in the athletic 

facilities, cafeteria, and transportation departments; and classroom volunteers from the 

community—to recognize and respond appropriately to students who may be at risk of 

suicide can save lives because:

• Staff see students on a daily basis and thus are in a position to recognize changes 

in personality, appearance, and performance that may indicate a student is at risk 

for suicide

• Students may turn to a trusted staff member for help

• Students may confide in a trusted adult at school if they are worried about a 

friend or classmate

In addition to the type of suicide awareness education described under Step 2 (above), 

specialized training programs are available that teach staff to:

• Identify individuals who may be at risk for suicide (by recognizing warning signs 

and understanding risk factors)

• Verify this risk by talking with the individual
115 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

• Refer the individual to mental health services that will help reduce their risk

Many, but not all, of these programs describe themselves as “gatekeeper training.” 

Some gatekeeper trainings teach people additional skills, including how to do 

the following:

• Reduce a person’s suicide risk by talking with them

• Keep a person at imminent risk of suicide safe until additional help can be found

• Facilitate referrals and increase the likelihood a person at risk will receive 

professional help

Schools that implement gatekeeper training programs may experience an increase in the 

number of students who seek help for behavioral health problems, including those related 

to suicide. Therefore, schools should put in place the components described in Chapters 

1–3 in this toolkit before implementing gatekeeper training. These components include 

protocols to respond to students at risk and in crisis.

Select a gatekeeper training program.

There are a number of gatekeeper training programs available from commercial and 

nonprofit sources. These vary greatly in length and format and include:

• Brief online or video trainings

• Curricula for training that schools can implement themselves

• Single or multi-day workshops by certified trainers

Before selecting a gatekeeper training program, check whether your State has any 

requirements about training high school staff on suicide prevention. State policies on 

suicide prevention in schools are listed on the State Information pages of the Suicide 

Prevention Resource Center Web site: (http://www.sprc.org/stateinformation/index.asp).

The SPAN USA Web site has updates on all suicide-related State legislation: http://www.

afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=DDB4817F-AFFD-AB5B65FFA5FF8FD4DDCC.

The most effective gatekeeper training programs include opportunities for the participants 

to practice their skills during role-playing and other interactive activities. Training 

programs that do not provide these opportunities can still be useful to educate and raise 

the awareness of staff about suicide and suicide prevention (discussed in Step 1 above).

The training appropriate for your school will depend on a number of factors, including 

the cost and the time staff have to devote to a training, as well as the cultural groups 

represented in your student body.
116 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

The three sources below can help you choose the program(s) that is/are best for 

your needs:

1. Tool 4.A: Matrix of Staff Education and Training Programs lists the programs 

that are in the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices 

(NREPP) or the Best Practices Registry (BPR). The matrix contains basic 

information to help you determine which program(s) to choose.

2. The Staff Education and Training: Identifying Suicide Risk part of the 

“Resources” section in this toolkit provides additional information about these 

programs. 

3. The guide To Live To See the Great Day That Dawns describes the applicability 

of some of the staff education/training programs to American Indian 

and Alaska Native communities. See pages 76–83 of this guide, located 

at http://www.sprc.org/library/Suicide_Prevention_Guide.pdf.

Adapt gatekeeper training for your school.

How students display the warning signs of suicide can differ by culture, as can student 

attitudes about suicide and sharing personal information, speaking with adults, or seeking 

help. Staff attitudes towards suicide, their role in suicide prevention, and how trainings 

should be implemented can also vary by culture. 

You may want to adapt a gatekeeper training program for the culture(s) of your students 

and staff. Note that any adaptation made for cultural reasons should take into account the 

diverse cultures of all students within the school or district and should not rely on 

stereotypes or overly broad generalizations about a culture. It is very important to avoid 

changing a training program in any way that would undermine its effectiveness. The 

developer of the gatekeeper program you choose may be able to: 

• Tell you what aspects of the program may be changed without damaging 

program effectiveness

• Identify schools or organizations that have successfully adapted their training for 

schools with a student population similar to that of your school 

If you think a training program might need to be adapted for your school, you should 

explore this issue of adaptation before finalizing your choice. You should contact the 

developer of the training program to discuss the adaptation. 
117 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Cultural Competency and Gatekeeper Training

It can be invaluable to involve knowledgeable representatives from local cultural groups to 

help your staff understand how young people from their communities think about suicide, 

mental illness, and help-seeking and then adapt your training to be effective with these groups.

The Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program is modifying its gatekeeper training program 

so that it is more appropriate for identifying suicide risk among tribal youth and adults. 

Program staff are being advised by members of the Penobscot Nation Prevention Coalition 

on how to adapt the program to be appropriate to their cultures. The team has been advised 

to add information to the training on specific culturally relevant risk factors, such as 

hopelessness caused by generational trauma and racism, the difficulty of transitioning from 

a middle school on a reservation to an off-reservation high school, and prescription drug 

abuse. Similarly, tribal leaders emphasized the importance of protective factors, such as 

cultural practices and connections to community-based service providers, families, and 

elders. The trainers were advised to add opening and closing ceremonies and small talking 

circles that would allow participants to discuss information they received at the end of the 

training day. Program staff noted that is important to make cultural adaptation an iterative 

process that responds to the needs of specific cultural groups as these needs become evident 

during training activities.

The QPR Institute, working with the National Organization of People of Color Against 

Suicide and the Aberdeen Area Indian Health Service, developed culturally relevant 

versions of the QPR gatekeeper training’s introductory video for African Americans and 

Native Americans. A version of the QPR slides was also developed for Native Americans. 

QPR has certified instructors who can provide QPR training in Spanish and other languages 

and has created training materials in Spanish and other languages.

Step 4. Train selected mental health staff to assess suicide risk in 

individual students. 

Students can exhibit a range of suicide-related behaviors, including ambiguous statements 

that may indicate risk. Although most gatekeeper programs, as well as many suicide 

awareness programs, teach people to recognize the warning signs indicating that a student 

may be at risk for suicide, they usually do not train staff to assess the level of risk beyond 

recognizing when a young person may be at immediate risk of suicide and should not be left 

alone. Only a mental health professional should be trained to assess student suicide risk. 

The availability of mental health staff who have been trained to assess suicide risk in 

individual students is an important component of a comprehensive suicide 

prevention program.
118 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Increasing Participation in Staff Trainings

There are a number of strategies you can use to increase participation in staff trainings, 

including the following:

• Use professional development funds to pay for staff training.

• Make sure that suicide prevention training counts as professional development time.

• Find out if CEUs are available for suicide prevention staff trainings.

When staff at one school did not show up for trainings in suicide prevention during the 

summer after a suicide attempt by an incoming freshman, the school decided to hold the 

trainings during the day because that worked best for the staff, pay the staff to attend, and 

count the training as part of that year’s professional development requirement. Another 

school provided suicide awareness training during the school’s regularly scheduled 

professional learning group meetings.

Determine whether you have staff qualified to be trained to do suicide risk assessments.

Only professionals with some background in mental health assessments should be trained 

to assess suicide risk. You may have staff in your school with these qualifications, for 

example, a school psychologist, social worker, nurse, or counselor. 

If your school staff does not include a mental health professional who can be trained to 

assess suicide risk, check if there is one at the school district level. If not, then contract 

with a mental health professional in the community to perform these assessments. 

However, not all mental health professionals have been trained to assess suicide risk. It is 

important to determine whether any of the mental health service providers available in 

the community have staff trained to assess suicide risk and, if not, whether they are 

willing to have their staff trained to conduct these assessments, using one of the training 

programs described in Tool 4.A: Matrix of Staff Education and Training Programs in the 

section on training programs to assess suicide risk.

Select a training program.

The two sources below can help you choose the program(s) that is/are best for 

your needs:

• Tool 4.A: Matrix of Staff Education and Training Programs lists programs that 

provide training in assessing suicide risk and are included in the Best Practices 

Registry (BPR).

• The Staff Education and Training: Assessing Suicide Risk part of the “Resources” 

section in this toolkit provides additional information about these programs.
119 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

CHAPTER 4: STAFF EDUCATION AND 

TRAINING TOOLS

Tool 4.A: Matrix of Staff Education and Training Programs
120 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 4.A: Matrix of Staff Education and Training Programs

This matrix lists all of the Staff Education and Training Programs that are in either the National Registry 

of Evidence-Based Prevention Practices (NREPP) or the Best Practices Registry (BPR), as of October 

2010. The criteria for NREPP and BPR are different. See Tool 1.K: Suicide Prevention Registries 

Information Sheet. 

The first section of the matrix lists gatekeeper training programs, and the second section lists programs 

that train professional staff to assess suicide risk. Several of the gatekeeper trainings center on a student 

curriculum but contain other components to create a more comprehensive program. For those programs, 

the matrix lists the other components, each of which is discussed in a separate chapter in this toolkit.
121 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

STAFF EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS

Program Registry School 

Focused

Number & 

Length of 

Sessions

Facilitator 

& Location

Other 

Components Notes

Gatekeeper Training Programs

Be A Link! 

Suicide 

Prevention 

Gatekeeper 

Training

BPR No One 2-hour 

session

Teachers who 

take a 2-day 

facilitator 

training or 

Yellow Ribbon 

representatives. 

Provided at 

Yellow Ribbon 

sites or local 

locations.

Often used 

with Yellow 

Ribbon’s 

student 

program 

Ask 4 Help!

Gatekeeper 

Suicide 

Prevention 

Program: A 

High School 

Curriculum

BPR Yes Different 

types of 

training 

ranging from 

1 hour to 2 

days

Facilitators 

must be 

trained by 

Gryphon Place. 

Delivered 

onsite.

Student 

Programs 

Parent 

Education

Mainly 

available in 

Michigan.

Lifelines NREPP Yes One 45–60 

minute 

presentation, 

but up 

to 1.5–2 

hours with 

participant 

discussion

School Crisis 

Response 

Team member 

(social worker, 

psychologist, 

counselor, 

health teacher). 

Information 

on giving the 

training is in 

the training 

materials. 

Protocols 

Student 

Programs

Parent 

Education

A 2-day, 

onsite 

training 

on how to 

implement 

all the 

program 

components 

is available 

through 

Hazelden 

Publishing.

Making 

Educators 

Partners in 

Youth Suicide 

Prevention

BPR Yes 5 modules; 

total time 2 

hours

None; selfdirected online 

training. Fifth 

module allows 

users to e-mail 

questions to 

a panel of 

experts.

More Than 

Sad: Suicide 

Prevention 

Education for 

Teachers and 

Other School 

Personnel

BPR Yes 2 hours School staff. Also 

suitable for 

parents and 

other adults 

who care for 

or work with 

youth.
122 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Program Registry School 

Focused

Number & 

Length of 

Sessions

Facilitator 

& Location

Other 

Components Notes

Question, 

Persuade, 

Refer (QPR) 

Gatekeeper 

Training

BPR No One session 

of 1–2 hours

None for 

online version. 

Certified QPR 

gatekeeper 

instructors 

teach the 

in-person 

training onsite 

and at other 

local locations. 

Training of 

trainers by QPR 

available onsite 

or online. 

Online and 

in-person 

versions 

are adapted 

for Native 

Americans 

and African 

Americans. 

In-person 

versions 

available 

in Spanish 

and other 

languages.

Response: A 

Comprehensive 

High SchoolBased Suicide 

Awareness 

Program

BPR Yes One 2-hour 

session

School staff. 

Training for 

providing 

staff training 

is included in 

the school kit. 

RESPONSE 

staff will provide 

training if 

requested.

Protocols

Student 

Programs

Parent 

Education

Suicide 

Alertness for 

Everyone 

(safeTALK)

BPR No One 3-hour 

session

Trainers who 

are trained and 

certified by 

LivingWorks. 

Training 

available onsite. 

1-day and 

2-day train-thetrainer sessions 

available for 

local facilitators.

Training Programs to Assess Suicide Risk

Applied 

Suicide 

Intervention 

Skills Training 

(ASIST)

BPR No 2 days Trainers must 

be trained and 

certified by 

LivingWorks. 

Training 

available onsite. 

5-day train-thetrainer sessions 

available for 

local facilitators.
123 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Program Registry School 

Focused

Number & 

Length of 

Sessions

Facilitator 

& Location

Other 

Components Notes

Assessing 

and Managing 

Suicide Risk 

(AMSR)

BPR No 1 day Training must 

be given by 

the program’s 

developer. 

Onsite and 

other local 

locations 

available.

QPRT 

Suicide Risk 

Assessment 

and Risk 

Management 

Training 

Program

BPR No 8 hours in 

classroom 

or 10 hours 

online

Training must 

be given by 

trainers certified 

and licensed 

to teach this 

program. Onsite 

and other 

local locations 

available.

Online and 

in-person 

versions 

are adapted 

for Native 

Americans.

Recognizing 

and 

Responding to 

Suicide Risk 

(RRSR)

BPR No 2 days Training must 

be given by 

the program’s 

developer. 

Onsite and 

other local 

locations 

available.

School Suicide 

Prevention 

Accreditation 

Program

BPR Yes Online, selfpacedNone; selfdirected online 

training.

For additional resources, see Staff Education and Training in the “Resources” section at the end of the toolkit.

CHAPTER 5

Parent/Guardian 

Education and Outreach

127 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

PARENT/GUARDIAN 

EDUCATION AND 

OUTREACH

The steps in Chapter 5 will answer these questions:

• Who should plan and implement your school’s parent outreach program?

• What kinds of parent outreach programs are available, and how do you decide 

which to use?

• How can you engage parents in suicide prevention?

• Can suicide prevention be integrated into other programs for parents?

IMPORTANT: Schools that implement programs to educate parents about suicide may 

experience an increase in the number of students who seek help for behavioral health and 

suicide-related problems. Schools should put in place the components described in 

Chapters 1–4, before implementing parent programs. These components include:

• Protocols to respond to students at risk and in crisis

• Suicide prevention education and training for all school staff 

This chapter discusses parent education and outreach activities—that is, activities 

designed to educate parents about suicide and related mental health issues. Several of the 

other chapters describe how parents and guardians should be involved in other aspects of 

a school’s suicide prevention efforts.

The word “parents” will be used in this toolkit as a shorthand term for parents; legal 

guardians, including Tribal Court appointed guardians; and other primary caretakers 

of students.
128 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE SUICIDE PREVENTION EDUCATION 

TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS?

Providing parents with specific suicide prevention education is important for the 

following reasons:

• The information may help parents identify and get help for children who may be 

at risk (Smith, T., Smith, V., Lazear, Roggenbaum, & Doan, 2003).

• Suicide prevention education for students is more effective when it is reinforced 

by the same information and messages at home (Smith et al., 2003).

• Involving parents is an important way to ensure that your efforts appropriately 

target the needs of your community and enhance the cultural competency of 

your efforts.

What Parents Need to Know

Although parents may be aware that children die by suicide, they often do not think it could 

happen to their child or in their community (Schwartz, Pyle, Dows, & Sheehan, 2010). 

Parents need information about:

• The prevalence of suicide and suicide attempts among youth

• The warning signs of suicide

• How to respond when they recognize their child or another youth is at risk

• Where to turn for help in the community

STEPS FOR DEVELOPING SUICIDE PREVENTION EDUCATION AND 

OUTREACH FOR PARENTS

Step 1: Convene a group to plan and implement parent education and 

outreach activities. 

Use Tool 1.B: Chart of School Staff Responsibilities and Tool 1.C: Chart of Community 

Partners (see Chapter 1) to help you identify and record the names of staff, individuals, 

and organizations that can help with your outreach activities. 

Your community may have a suicide prevention coalition or group that can help develop 

and implement outreach activities. Community partners—including parent groups and 

representatives of the faiths, cultures, and tribes of your students—can be important to 

the success of outreach activities.
129 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Step 2: Select or develop parent education and outreach programs.

Select or develop parent education and outreach programs that are appropriate for your 

community and parents’ needs, concerns, and cultures. Remember to consider practical 

issues such as cost, time, and staff availability.

You may want to use the parent education and outreach component of a packaged 

program, especially if your school is already using other parts of the program. Several 

programs in the Best Practices Registry (BPR) and the National Registry of EvidenceBased Prevention Programs and Practices (NREPP) include materials for parents. The 

matrix in Tool 5.A: Matrix of Parent/Guardian Education and Outreach Programs 

includes some information about these materials. Additional information is available 

under Parent/Guardian Education and Outreach in the “Resources” section of this toolkit.

Some things that schools should consider when designing and implementing parent 

outreach and education activities include the following:

• Engage parents in a variety of ways, for example, at freshman orientation, 

health and safety events at the school, senior transition activities, and 

other regularly scheduled events for parents. Do not limit your efforts to a 

one-time event.

• Select appropriate formats for outreach, such as written materials (e.g., 

newsletters, cards, emails, posters) or presentations (by school staff, a 

professional from the community, or a national expert). Outreach should occur 

in formats that are easily understandable, including for families of English 

Language Learners.

• Use existing factsheets or resources to communicate your messages. Tool 

5.B: Suicide Prevention and Schools: Facts for Parents may be used in your 

parent outreach efforts. Additional materials are described under Parent/Guardian 

Education and Outreach in the “Resources” section of this toolkit.

• Get input from people who are not a part of your planning group, but who 

may have insight into reaching parents, such as bus drivers, lunch staff, or school 

administrators. 
130 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Two Successful Parent Events

• A high school held a parent forum that integrated suicide prevention education 

with information about the problems 12th graders face as they transition from high 

school to the next stage of their lives. The forum described the behavioral health 

issues students might experience during this transition, such as anxiety, depression, 

and risk of suicide. There were also college counselors at the forum to offer insight 

to parents about services and supports for students going away to school. The 

publicity for the event did not mention suicide prevention but emphasized a focus 

on “supporting your children with the transition from 12th grade.” The outreach was 

a collaborative effort between the school and its parent organization, relying upon 

the parents to recruit their friends and peers for what proved to be a well-attended 

and successful event. 

• Another high school held a two-hour event for parents of high school students 

called “Parent to Parent Courageous Conversation: If your child is approaching 

overload—What you can do about it!” The event featured three speakers: (1) 

a doctor who talked about community-based treatment programs for anxiety, 

depression, and suicidal behavior; (2) a representative of a school-based suicide 

prevention program; and (3) a parent advocate whose son had struggled with 

behavioral health issues when he attended the high school. The presentations were 

followed by a one-hour question and discussion session.

Step 3: Identify ways to increase participation among parents at events and 

activities.

It can be challenging to recruit parents for suicide prevention events. Parents may be 

reluctant or unable to attend these events. Effective parent education programs need to 

target parents’ needs, concerns, and cultures. Some ways to increase parent participation 

include the following:

• Give parents what they need: Find out what the parents in your community 

need to help a teen who may be at risk of suicide. For example, if parents do 

not know where to get professional help for their child, provide them with 

information on community resources. 

• Accommodate language, culture, religion, and economic status: Consider 

whether the parent outreach materials and events need to be translated into 

languages other than English. It may be helpful to use a cultural mediator—a 

respected community member who is bilingual and bicultural. He or she can help 

you design culturally appropriate materials and events, as well as help parents 

understand why their participation is important to their family. 

• Do not use the word “suicide” in the title of the event: Parents may not attend 

events if they are framed as “suicide prevention.” They may be frightened by the 
131 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

idea that their child may be at risk. Or they may come from a culture in which 

suicide is never addressed directly. Schools have had greater parental support and 

turnout at events when they were publicized not as suicide prevention activities, 

but as efforts to:

» Promote behavioral health and wellness

» Support your child with the transition from 8th grade or 12th grade

» Learn how to keep your teenager safe

• Go to parents. Don’t expect parents to come to you: If accommodating 

parents’ needs does not increase the turnout at your events, you may need to 

reach parents in other places, such as churches, pediatricians’ offices, their 

children’s sporting events, and continuing education classes. Ask the pastor, 

pediatrician, and sports coach to collaborate with your school to educate parents 

about suicide prevention.

• Clarify privacy issues: Parents may be reluctant to participate because of a fear 

that their private family matters will become public. You may need to explain that 

schools are required to protect student and family privacy unless it conflicts with 

protecting the safety of a child.

Engaging Diverse Communities

A school in a predominantly Native American and Latino community successfully engaged 

parents in their outreach activities by considering cultural issues while developing outreach 

events. The outreach coordinator was a well-respected, long-time Latina resident who knew 

many people in the community. She engaged students in presenting at the outreach events. 

Because the students were excited about giving the presentation and conveyed that to their 

parents, their parents were inspired to come to the event.

Other students greeted participants as they arrived and handed out flyers. Siblings of all 

ages were invited to attend. Food and door prizes were provided so that the event had the 

feeling of a celebration. 

Step 4: Integrate parent education into existing programs.

Parent education and outreach can complement other suicide prevention activities at your 

school and in your community. Educating parents about suicide may be integrated into 

existing programs and activities, such as freshman orientation, parent events, and 

community education programs. 
132 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Including Suicide Prevention in Other Efforts to Reach Parents 

Schools have integrated suicide prevention outreach into other activities by:

• Holding a parents’ night about student safety that included suicide prevention 

• Sponsoring events for the parents of 8th graders or 12th graders that focused 

on their children’s upcoming transition and addressing issues such as anxiety, 

depression, substance use, and bullying, in addition to suicide

• Sending material—sometimes in the form of a card that fits into a wallet or purse 

or can be put on the family bulletin board—to the parents of every middle and high 

school student with information about how to help a child in crisis 

• Including suicide awareness as part of freshman orientation, safety days, or other 

health events at the school that involve parents

• Including suicide prevention in parenting classes

• Presenting suicide prevention education at a PTO meeting
133 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

CHAPTER 5: PARENT/GUARDIAN EDUCATION 

AND OUTREACH TOOLS

Tool 5.A: Matrix of Parent/Guardian Education and Outreach Programs

Tool 5.B: Suicide Prevention and Schools: Facts for Parents
134 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 5.A: Parent/Guardian Education and Outreach Programs

The matrix on the next page lists all of the Parent/Guardian Education and Outreach Programs that are in 

either the National Registry of Evidence-Based Prevention Practices (NREPP) or the Best Practices 

Registry (BPR), as of October 2010. The criteria for NREPP and BPR are different. See Tool 1.K: Suicide 

Prevention Registries Information Sheet. 

In this matrix, all of the listings are secondary components to a student curriculum except the video “Not 

My Kid.” The primary component of the program is the one around which the program is built. Secondary 

components are included to strengthen the primary component and/or to create a more comprehensive 

program. For each of the types of components listed, there is a separate chapter in this toolkit. 
135 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

PARENT/GUARDIAN EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS

Program Registry

Number & 

Length of 

Sessions

Leader Other 

Components Notes

Gatekeeper 

Suicide 

Prevention 

Program: A 

High School 

Curriculum

BPR 1.5-hour 

workshop

Facilitators must be 

trained by Gryphon 

Place. Delivered 

onsite.

- Staff Training

- Student 

Program

Mainly 

provided just in 

Michigan.

Lifelines NREPP One 45–60 

minute 

presentation, 

but up 

to 1–1.5 

hours with 

participant 

discussion 

School Crisis 

Response Team 

members (social 

worker, psychologist, 

counseling staff, 

health teacher). 

Information on giving 

the training is in the 

training materials. 

- Protocols

- Staff Training

- Student 

Program

A 2-day, onsite 

training on how 

to implement 

all the program 

components 

is available 

through 

Hazelden 

Publishing.

Not My Kid BPR 17-minute 

video online

None

Response: A 

Comprehensive 

High SchoolBased Suicide 

Awareness 

Program

BPR 1-hour 

workshop

School staff. Training 

for providing parent 

education is included 

in the school kit. 

RESPONSE staff 

will provide training if 

requested.

- Staff Training

- Student 

Program

Parent training 

is separate 

from the main 

school kit.

For additional resources, see Parent/Guardian Education and Outreach in the “Resources” section at the end of 

the toolkit.
136 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 5.B: Suicide Prevention and Schools: Facts for Parents

This factsheet is designed to educate and gain the support of parents for implementing suicide prevention 

initiatives in high schools. It includes an overview of the problem of adolescent suicide, explains why it is 

important to address suicide risk among students, and discusses the roles that parents and schools can play 

in prevention.

This factsheet can also be found in the “Handouts” section of this Toolkit, which begins on page 209.
137 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

SUICIDE PREVENTION: FACTS FOR PARENTS

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS EXPERIENCE UNIQUE CHALLENGES

High school can be a rewarding time for young people. But for some students, it can also be emotionally 

difficult, especially in 9th grade during the transition to high school and again in 12th grade during the 

transition out of high school. 

The stresses of high school and the mental and emotional stage of adolescence can combine with risk 

factors for suicide, such as depression, and increase the risk of suicide for some teens. Parents and school 

staff can help identify students at risk of suicide and help them get treatment before a tragedy occurs.

Many high school students reported that they had seriously considered 

suicide in the past year.

• One out of every 53 high school students (1.9 percent) reported having made a 

suicide attempt that was serious enough to be treated by a doctor or a nurse.

• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers.

• The toll among some groups, such as Native Americans, is even higher.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

WHY HIGH SCHOOLS ADDRESS SUICIDE

• Administrators and staff care about the well-being of their students.

• Maintaining a safe and secure school environment is part of a school’s overall mission.

• Depression and other mental health issues can interfere with children’s ability to learn and affect 

their academic performance.

Although few suicides take place on high school campuses, students spend much of the day in school. 

This puts high schools in a position to identify and help students who may be at risk for suicide and 

related behavioral health issues.

PREVENTING SUICIDE CAN PREVENT OTHER BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS

Students at risk of suicide may also be at risk of other problem behaviors, such as violence and bullying, 

and substance abuse. Reducing the risk of suicide can help reduce the likelihood of these other behaviors.
138 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Parents can help protect their children from suicide risk by:

• Maintaining a supportive and involved relationship with their sons and daughters

• Understanding the warning signs and risk factors for suicide

• Knowing where to turn for help 

HOW SCHOOLS CAN HELP PREVENT SUICIDE

Experts recommend that schools use an approach to suicide prevention that includes the following:

• Identifying students at possible risk of suicide and referring them to appropriate services

• Responding appropriately to a suicide death

• Providing training and suicide awareness education for staff 

• Educating parents regarding suicide risk and mental health promotion 

• Educating and involving students in mental health promotion and suicide prevention efforts 

• Screening students for suicide risk

You should encourage your high school to implement some or all of these strategies to prevent suicide 

and protect the well-being of your children. You can work with the school on these important efforts as 

well as use the school as a resource for help with your child’s needs.
CHAPTER 6

Student Programs

141 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

STUDENT 

PROGRAMS 

The steps in Chapter 6 will answer these questions:

• Who should be involved in developing or selecting suicide prevention programs for 

your students?

• What are the differences among the types of suicide prevention programs: 

education, skill-building, and peer leader?

• What specific programs are available, and how can you decide which are right for 

your school?

• How can you make programs culturally appropriate for your student body? 

• How can you include suicide prevention activities in existing programs?

IMPORTANT: Schools implementing student programs that address suicide may 

experience an increase in the number of students who seek help for behavioral health and 

suicide-related problems. Schools should put in place the components described in 

Chapters 1–4, before implementing student programs. These components include:

• Protocols to respond to students at risk and in crisis

• Suicide prevention education and training for all school staff 

WHY ARE STUDENT PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS SUICIDE IMPORTANT?

Research indicates that most youth who are suicidal talk with peers about their concerns 

rather than with adults, yet as few as 25 percent of peer confidants tell an adult about 

their suicidal peer (Kalafat, 2003).

Student programs that address suicide can play a significant role in reducing risk for 

suicide when they are used in conjunction with other strategies, such as protocols and 

staff training. There are three types of student programs, each with different objectives. 

They are as follows:
142 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

• Curricula for all students

» Provide information about suicide prevention

» Promote positive attitudes

» Increase students’ ability to recognize if they or their peers are at risk for 

suicide

» Encourage students to seek help for themselves or their peers

• Skill-building programs for at-risk students 

» Help protect at-risk students from suicide by building their coping, problemsolving, and cognitive skills

» Address problems that can lead to suicide, such as depression and other 

mental health issues, anger, and drug use

• Peer leader programs

» Teach selected students skills needed to help students at risk

» Empower selected students so that they can take action to improve the school 

environment

STEPS TO DEVELOP OR SELECT STUDENT PROGRAMS 

Step 1: Convene a group to plan and implement student programs.

Determine which individuals will take the lead in developing and implementing student 

programs. Use Tool 1.B: Chart of School Staff Responsibilities (see Chapter 1) to help 

you identify and record the names of the individuals who should be a part of this group.

Step 2: Determine which type(s) of student program(s) will fit the needs of 

your school.

The types of student education programs that you may want to implement will depend 

upon the needs of your students as well as the resources available in your school. Some 

schools may have the need and the resources to implement all three types of programs. 

Other schools may find it more appropriate and possible to only implement programs 

representing one or two of the program types. 

Tool 6.A: Types of Student Programs Information Sheet will help you decide which types 

of programs are appropriate for your school based on their objectives, content, format, and 

target audience, and whether they address health education standards.

Step 3: Choose or develop the specific program(s) you want to implement 

at your school.

Choose the specific program(s) that meet the needs of your students and school and that 

fit with the resources you have available. Be sure to take into consideration the cultural 
143 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

backgrounds of your students. Keep in mind that every suicide prevention strategy or 

program has its own strengths and limitations. The sources below can help you choose 

the program(s) that is/are best for your needs.

Tool 6.B: Matrix of Student Programs lists the programs that are in the National Registry 

of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP) or the Best Practices Registry 

(BPR). The matrix contains basic information to help you determine which program(s) 

to choose.

The Student Education and Skill-Building part of the “Resources” section in this toolkit 

provides additional information about these programs. 

The guide To Live To See the Great Day That Dawns describes the applicability of some 

of the student programs to American Indian and Alaska Native communities. See pages 

76–87 of the guide, located at http://www.sprc.org/library/Suicide_Prevention_Guide.pdf.

You should consider using the Health Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT) to help you 

decide which program to use. The HECAT provides guidance in using evidence-based 

health education standards and population-specific information (e.g., was the curriculum 

deemed effective for a population similar to your population?) to determine which 

curriculum is the most appropriate. Suicide is included in the violence prevention section. 

For more information on HECAT, 

see: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/HECAT/index.htm.

One of the goals of any student program is to increase the likelihood that a student will 

identify a peer who may be at risk of suicide and refer him or her to an appropriate adult. 

Therefore, when implementing any of these programs, staff should let students know that 

they should turn to a trusted adult with a concern. They can also let students know that 

the school has a designated suicide risk response coordinator and procedures for making 

referrals, as described in Chapter 2.
144 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Examples of Peer Leader Programs

Although there is only one peer leader program in the Best Practices Registry (Sources of 

Strength), some organizations and schools have developed or adapted other peer leader 

programs, including those listed below, as part of their suicide prevention efforts. These 

programs provide examples of other innovative approaches, but none of them have applied 

to the BPR. More information on these programs can be found in the Student Education and 

Skill-Building part of the “Resources” section in this toolkit.

Students for Students: A Youth-Centered Suicide Prevention Program: Students are 

recruited to apply for this program. Once selected, the peer leaders are trained to work 

directly with clinicians to identify and assist other students with getting services, support, or 

clinical help. Peer leaders also increase awareness of behavioral health issues and improve 

the school environment by talking with students, teaching classes, and organizing events.

Natural Helpers: Students selected by other students are trained to help their peers with a 

wide variety of youth issues by listening to them and assisting them in getting help from 

adults. They also help improve the school environment and increase the connections 

between students and staff. Although Natural Helpers is not focused on suicide prevention, 

some schools have given their peer leaders in this program specific training on suicide 

prevention and included this program in their suicide prevention efforts. 

Native H.O.P.E. (Helping Our People Endure): Focused on suicide prevention, this 

program is specifically designed for Native American youth by incorporating Native 

American culture, traditions, spirituality, ceremonies, and humor. The youth develop and 

carry out a strategic action plan to implement prevention activities related to suicide, 

depression, trauma, violence, and substance abuse. They also provide support to their peers 

and assist them with getting help for behavioral health issues.

Curricula for Transition Grades

A small number of curricula are available that integrate suicide prevention with preparing 

students for the transition into or out of high school. Typically for 8th and 12th graders, 

these lessons cover the specific issues surrounding their transition and address suicide 

prevention in that context. A few schools have developed their own lessons, and the SOS 

(Signs of Suicide) program has developed a lesson for 11th and 12th graders. 

Step 4: Adapt student programs for your school community.

Student programs sometimes need to be adapted for a school’s students. There may be 

cultural differences in how students display the warning signs of suicide and in their 

attitudes about suicide, as well as in how they feel about sharing personal information, 
145 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

speaking with adults, or seeking help. Note that any adaptation made for cultural reasons 

should take into account the diverse cultures of all students within the school or district 

and should not rely on stereotypes or overly broad generalizations about a culture. 

Knowledgeable representatives from cultural groups and organizations serving LGBT 

youth and youth with disabilities in your community can help you understand how young 

people from your community think about mental health, help-seeking, and suicide.

A major concern with adapting an evidence-based program is maintaining its integrity 

so that the positive outcomes will still be attained. If you think a program might need to 

be adapted for your school, you should explore the issue of adaptation before choosing 

a program. 

The developer of a program may be able to:

• Tell you what aspects of the program may be changed without 

impacting effectiveness

• Identify schools or organizations that have successfully adapted the program for a 

student population similar to yours 

Adding to SOS to Make It More Relevant for Native American Youth

The Gallup, New Mexico, schools wanted to make the SOS (Signs of Suicide) program 

relevant for their Native American students while still maintaining fidelity in the 

implementation of the program. Peer leaders from the school’s Natural Helpers program 

created 2–3-minute video vignettes based on the content of the SOS video but using Native 

American youth, reservation language, and issues familiar to the youth in that community. 

These vignettes were shown in class after the SOS video. The changes made a difference. 

According to Norma Vazquez, the State of New Mexico Youth Suicide Prevention 

Coordinator, “When students saw a reflection of themselves and their experience in the 

videos, it increased the power of the message for them.” 

The Natural Helpers students also created laminated business cards and flyers listing local, 

culturally appropriate sources of help for mental health issues. 
146 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Video for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) 

Youth

To address the issue of suicide among LGBTQ youth, the OUTLoud Project of the Youth 

Suicide Prevention Program in Washington State produced the video “You Are Not Alone: 

LGBTQ Youth and Suicide,” featuring three LGBTQ youth speaking from their personal 

experiences with depression, self-harm, and being suicidal. The video also educates youth 

about the risk and protective factors for suicide that are specific to LGBTQ youth and how 

to intervene when they think a friend is contemplating suicide. The video was written and 

produced by LGBTQ youth working with an adult advisor. It can be used as part of a suicide 

prevention program for all students.

To view the video, go to 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3OLfTjOxYs&feature=play er_embedded

A Program Tailored for Latina Adolescents

Comunilife, a nonprofit organization in New York City providing health, behavioral health, 

and social services to a largely Latino population, created an innovative mental health and 

youth development program that serves the needs of Latina adolescents in a culturally 

appropriate way. Its purpose is to decrease suicide risk in girls who are currently receiving 

clinical services. From their experience working with this population and through convening 

a focus group of teens and their families, the staff of Comunilife learned that Latina girls 

and their families often find traditional mental health services intrusive, not responsive to 

their needs, and not effective. In addition, girls often do not talk with their parents about 

their problems because they are afraid everyone in their family will find out.

Comunilife’s Life is Precious program is designed to respond to the girls’ desire to have a 

place to go where they can be themselves, be involved in activities, have fun, and have 

someone available to talk with if they want to talk. The girls can go to the program every 

day after school until 7:30 p.m. and for several hours on Saturday. They can have a snack, 

get help with homework, use the Internet, participate in creative art therapy groups, and/or 

talk with the adult staff or a counselor at any time. Parents can also drop by if they want to 

talk about their problems. On Saturdays, there are group discussions where the girls and 

their parents discuss together cultural, school, and parenting issues to help them understand 

each other better and strengthen the parent/child relationships.

This program works because it takes into account the girls’ culture and needs. It provides an 

informal setting that is available almost every day for the girls to visit without the time limit 

of a set appointment or requirement to talk with a provider. The girls can obtain help when 

they feel the need for it. In its two years of operation, Life is Precious participants and their 

families have reported decreases in suicidal ideations, improvement in academic 

performance, and better relationships and communication with family and peers. 
147 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Step 5: Integrate suicide prevention programs into other initiatives to 

improve behavioral health.

There are a variety of ways to integrate suicide prevention into other initiatives for 

students. Suicide prevention is often incorporated into a health class or other health 

programs, such as a health and safety day. Skill-building programs for students at risk 

usually address suicide in the context of other issues, such as depression, anger, substance 

abuse, and violence prevention.

Some schools offer a peer leadership program that includes training for the peer leaders 

about suicide prevention, behavioral health, and other related issues such as dating 

violence. Some schools also use activities that build a culture in which students look out 

for each other and learn how to help a peer in distress.

Adding Suicide Prevention to Existing Programs

Two districts addressed suicide as part of their Federal Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant, 

which focuses on violence prevention (bullying) and mental health awareness and 

promotion. Another school planned a study hall with freshman on technology and 

cyberbullying. At one school, the SADD group emphasized that “friends help friends,” 

which was a theme connected to the suicide prevention classroom curricula used by 

the school.

Using Social Media for Suicide Prevention in a School-Based Program

Here are some examples of how students in the peer leader program Sources of Strength use 

social media for suicide prevention:

• Suicide prevention materials are given to students to post on their Facebook pages.

• Students are building a team to make videos and create stories of sources of strength 

that they will put out through their social networks on Facebook and the Web.

• When peer leaders read suicide-related comments in text messages or on Facebook, 

they pass them on to their trusted adults or the adult advisors in the program so that 

the adults can intervene and help the suicidal youth.

• When peer leaders read harassing text in text messages or online, they interrupt it 

with a simple comment such as “not cool” and/or provide support to the individual 

being harassed.
148 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Connecting Students to a Suicide Prevention Web Site that Uses Social Media

Reach Out is a Web site (http://us.reachout.com/) for high school students to find 

information about suicide prevention and other behavioral health issues, share their stories, 

discuss issues of concern, ask questions, support peers, and connect with support services. It 

is part of the WeCanHelpUs Campaign. The content, which is researched and written by 

young people, is delivered through blogs, MySpace, video games, Short Message Service 

(SMS), Podcasts, digital storytelling, and moderated discussions via online communities.

Schools can encourage students to use Reach Out by displaying posters and Web site 

banners with information about the Web site. 

The posters may be ordered by phone at 1-877-SAMHSA-7 or online at http://store.samhsa.

gov/product/We-Can-Help-Us/ADC10-SUICIDEP. 

The Web site banners may be ordered at http://psacentral.adcouncil.org.
149 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

CHAPTER 6: STUDENT PROGRAMS TOOLS

Tool 6.A: Types of Student Programs Information Sheet

Tool 6.B: Matrix of Student Programs
150 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 6.A: Types of Student Programs Information Sheet

CURRICULA FOR ALL STUDENTS

Purpose: These curricula: 

• Provide information about suicide prevention

• Promote positive attitudes

• Increase students’ ability to recognize if they or their peers are at risk for suicide

• Encourage students to seek help for themselves and their peers

Content: Typical content includes:

• Basic information about depression and suicide

• Warning signs that indicate a student may be in imminent danger of suicide

• Underlying factors that place a student at higher risk of suicide

• Appropriate responses when someone is depressed or suicidal

• Help-seeking skills and resources

Participants: These curricula are usually offered to all students in a class or a grade. Some programs, 

schools, districts, and funders require consent from parents for their child to participate. The children of 

parents who do not give consent are provided with an alternative activity.

Format: These curricula are typically given in one to four class periods of 45–60 minutes each. They are 

often given as part of a class, such as a health, family life, or life skills class, which addresses related 

topics (e.g., mental health issues, substance abuse, bullying, and other violence). This enables the 

connections between the issues to be highlighted. Sometimes they are implemented during other classes, 

such as English.

Heath education standards: Almost all of the curricula address at least some, if not most, of the National 

Health Education Standards. Some states have their own standards. State standards are typically aligned 

with the national standards.
151 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

SKILL-BUILDING PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS AT RISK OF SUICIDE

Purpose: These programs help protect at-risk students from suicide by:

• Building their coping, problem-solving, and cognitive skills

• Addressing related problems such as depression and other mental health issues, anger, and 

substance abuse

Content: Typical content includes exercises and activities to: 

• Increase problem-solving and coping skills

• Improve resilience and interpersonal relationships

• Prevent or reduce self-destructive behavior

Format: These programs fit into regular class periods and are given as a separate class. They typically last 

from 12 weeks to a semester.

PEER LEADER PROGRAMS

Purpose: Peer leader programs teach selected students skills to identify and help peers who may be at risk. 

Some programs teach peer leaders to build connectedness among students and also between students and 

staff, which improves the school environment.

Format: These programs are usually held outside of class time.

Peer leader roles: Roles vary greatly by program and may include:

• Listening to and supporting peers, educating them about mental health problems, and encouraging 

them to seek help, as well as talking with adults about students possibly at risk for suicide and other 

mental health problems

• Presenting lessons to their peers in high school classes, to middle school students, and/or to youth 

in the community

• Developing and promoting messages to change the school environment through public service 

announcements, posters, videos, Web sites, and text messaging

Peer leader training: The training varies according to the roles taken on by the peer leaders. Basic 

components of these trainings include: 

• Teaching about the risk factors and warning signs of suicide

• Dispelling myths about suicide

• Destigmatizing mental illness and seeking help 

• Learning about other health and behavioral health problems, as well as other common issues 

teenagers face
152 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 6.B: Matrix of Student Programs

This matrix lists all of the Student Programs that are in either the National Registry of Evidence-Based 

Prevention Practices (NREPP) or the Best Practices Registry (BPR) as of October 2010. The criteria for 

NREPP and BPR are different. See Tool 1.K: Suicide Prevention Registries Information Sheet. 

All of the programs in this matrix are the primary or sole component of the program. The primary 

component of the program is the one around which the program is built. Secondary components are included 

in some of the programs to strengthen the primary component and/or to create a more comprehensive 

program. For each of the types of components listed, there is a separate chapter in this toolkit. 
153 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

STUDENT PROGRAMS

Program Type Grades

Number 

& Length 

of 

Sessions

Facilitator Other 

Components Notes

Programs in NREPP

American 

Indian 

Life Skills 

Development/

Zuni Life Skills 

Development 

Curriculum 

for all 

students

9–12 28–56 

lesson 

plans 

delivered 

over 30 

weeks.

Teachers, with 

input from 

community 

members 

for cultural 

relevance. 

Teachers 

must have a 

3-day training 

that may be 

delivered 

onsite.

Culturally 

tailored to 

American 

Indian youth.

CAST (Coping 

and Support 

Training) 

Skillbuilding 

for at-risk 

students

9–12 Twelve 

55-minute 

group 

sessions.

Teacher, 

counselor, 

nurse, or other 

mental health 

staff person 

experienced 

with high-risk 

youth. Training 

is given by 

developer 

and may be 

delivered 

onsite.

Similar to 

Reconnecting 

Youth 

but fewer 

sessions 

over fewer 

weeks with a 

group of 6–8 

students.

Lifelines Curriculum 

for all 

students

8–10 Four 

45-minute 

lessons.

Teachers. 

Information on 

teaching the 

curriculum is 

included with 

the curriculum 

materials, and 

a 1-day, onsite 

training is 

also available 

through 

Hazelden 

Publishing. 

- Protocols

- Staff Training

- Parent 

Education

All the other 

components 

must be 

implemented 

before the 

student 

lessons. A 

2-day, onsite 

training 

on how to 

implement all 

the program 

components 

is available 

through 

Hazelden 

Publishing.
154 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Program Type Grades

Number 

& Length 

of 

Sessions

Facilitator Other 

Components Notes

Reconnecting 

Youth 

Skillbuilding 

for at-risk 

students

9–12 75 classes 

delivered 

in one 

semester.

Teacher, 

counselor, 

nurse, or other 

mental health 

staff person 

experienced 

with at-risk 

youth. Training 

is given by 

developer 

and may be 

delivered 

onsite.

Similar 

to CAST 

but more 

sessions over 

more weeks 

with a group 

of 10–12 

students.

SOS (Signs of 

Suicide) 

Curriculum 

for all 

students

8–12 Three 

lessons; 

often only 

the first is 

given, and 

it includes 

a short 

student 

screening.

Teachers. 

Training for 

teachers is 

included in 

curriculum 

materials. 

Technical 

assistance is 

also available.

- Screening

- Staff Training

- Parent 

Education

Schools 

can decide 

if they want 

to provide 

the student 

screening 

along with 

the lesson(s). 

Also included 

is a version of 

the screening 

tool for 

parents to 

complete 

about their 

child.

Programs in BPR

Ask 4 Help! 

Suicide 

Prevention for 

Youth

Curriculum 

for all 

students

9–12 1 hour. Teachers or 

Yellow Ribbon 

representatives. 

Requires a 

2-day training 

for facilitators 

provided by 

Yellow Ribbon, 

either at the 

school or local 

locations.

Usually used 

with Yellow 

Ribbon’s adult 

gatekeeper 

program Be A 

Link! 
155 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Program Type Grades

Number 

& Length 

of 

Sessions

Facilitator Other 

Components Notes

Gatekeeper 

Suicide 

Prevention 

Program: A 

High School 

Curriculum

Curriculum 

for all 

students

7 and 9 Three 

50–60 

minute 

lessons 

for 7th 

grade and 

four for 

9th grade.

Facilitators 

must be trained 

by Gryphon 

Place. Training 

is delivered 

onsite.

- Staff Training

- Parent 

Education

Mainly 

provided just 

in Michigan.

Healthy 

Education for 

Life Program 

(HELP)

Curriculum 

for all 

students

9–12+ One 45–

55 minute 

session.

Facilitators 

must be 

volunteers 

trained by 

HELP. Training 

is delivered 

onsite.

Only available 

in Oklahoma. 

Helping Every 

Living Person 

(HELP) 

Depression 

and Suicide 

Prevention 

Curriculum

Curriculum 

for all 

students

9–11 Four 

45-minute 

lessons.

Teachers must 

be trained by 

developer. 

Teacher 

training may be 

delivered onsite 

or by phone.

LEADS for 

Youth: Linking 

Education and 

Awareness of 

Depression 

and Suicide

Curriculum 

for all 

students

9–12 Three 

1-hour 

sessions.

Teachers. 

Training for 

teachers is 

included in 

curriculum 

materials. 

Technical 

assistance also 

available.

- Protocols Includes the 

planning 

tool SchoolBased Crisis 

Management 

Recommendations on 

Suicide.

Response: 

A Comprehensive High 

School-Based 

Suicide 

Awareness 

Program

Curriculum 

for all 

students

9–12 Four 

1-hour 

sessions.

Teachers. 

Training for 

teachers is 

included in 

the school kit. 

RESPONSE 

staff will 

provide training 

if requested.

- Protocols

- Staff Training

- Parent 

Education
156 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Program Type Grades

Number 

& Length 

of 

Sessions

Facilitator Other 

Components Notes

Sources of 

Strength

Peer 

leader 

program

6–12 3–6-month 

program; 

advisors 

contribute 

40 hours 

and peer 

leaders 

15–50 

hours. 

Advisors 

receive a 

3–6 hour 

orientation; 

peer 

leaders 

receive 

a 4-hour 

training.

Team of 2–5 

adult advisors 

(from school, 

community, 

or families) 

and 10–50 

peer leaders. 

Training by 

Sources of 

Strength 

trainers 

required. 

Will come to 

the school. 

Technical 

assistance is 

also available. 

Peer leaders 

recruit 

students 

to develop 

and deliver 

a campaign. 

Initially 

implemented 

in rural/tribal 

areas, now 

expanded to 

all high school 

students.

For additional resources, see the Student Programs in the “Resources” section at the end of the toolkit. 
CHAPTER 7

Screening

159 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

SCREENING

The steps in Chapter 7 will answer these questions:

• Who should be involved in planning and implementing a screening program in 

your school?

• How can you enlist the support of school administrators and staff?

• How do you prepare for the increased need for mental health referrals?

• What types of screening programs are available, and how do you decide which 

to use?

• How do you involve families? 

IMPORTANT: Schools that implement screening programs may experience an increase 

in the number of students who seek help for behavioral health and suicide-related 

problems. Schools should put in place the components described in Chapters 1–4, before

implementing screening. These components include:

• Protocols to respond to students at risk and in crisis

• Suicide prevention training for all school staff 

WHY IS SCREENING IMPORTANT?

The purpose of screening is to identify students at risk for suicide, suicidal behaviors, and 

suicidal ideation. Parents and teachers may not be able to tell that youth are suicidal (Smith 

et al., 2003; Scott, et al., 2009), and youth may not step forward on their own to get help. 

The results from a screening indicate which students may need evaluation so that the school 

and their parents can help them receive evaluation and treatment, if needed. Treatment can 

prevent suicide as well as improve the student’s behavioral health, school performance, 

social development, and future productivity (Center for Mental Health in Schools at 

UCLA, 2007).

Schools can screen individual students who are thought to be at risk for suicide and/or 

other behavioral health problems or implement screening programs to screen large 

numbers of students. This chapter will focus on screening programs.
160 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Are Screening Programs Cost-Effective?

Screening programs in schools are cost-effective because they reach a large number of 

students quickly and at less cost than through community screening programs (Center for 

Mental Health in Schools at UCLA, 2007). Screening can catch problems early and avoid 

the intensive treatment that might be needed if students’ problems are not identified until 

they become more severe. 

BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT SCREENING PROGRAMS

Format: Typically, a brief questionnaire is given to each student. If the screening is given 

in a group setting, pay special attention to ensuring that the questionnaires the students 

fill out are kept completely confidential. Those who screen positive are given a 

confidential interview as soon as possible by a mental health provider to assess whether 

they need a referral for more in-depth evaluation or treatment. Students who need help 

are referred to appropriate services. 

Support of parents: Parents should be informed about the screening program, its purpose, 

and its value in order to gain their support, since schools often need a parent’s consent 

before screening their child. In addition, parents need to be involved if a referral is 

indicated. Parent support can make a major difference in whether a child receives 

treatment. In tribal communities it may also be important to gain the support of tribal 

leaders and programs.

Support of school administrators and staff: School administrators and staff may resist 

screening programs because of the cost and logistics as well as a concern that the school 

will not be able to handle the number of students identified as at risk. They need to be 

made aware that screening programs can have significant benefits for students who are at 

risk, and for the school environment. 
161 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Screening Programs: Positive Experiences

Signs of Suicide (SOS): In Chemung County High Schools, New York

Chemung County in New York, which includes the city of Elmira and surrounding rural 

areas, has found the SOS high school student education and screening program to be a 

valuable tool in identifying students at risk of suicide. Three suicide deaths by high school 

students in the 2004–2005 school year motivated school staff to implement a broad array of 

suicide prevention initiatives, including the SOS program.

Nearly 1,800 students were screened the first year, and over 3 percent were referred for 

mental health care who were not already receiving it. According to Pat Breux, program 

coordinator, “We’re convinced the screening found students who otherwise would not have 

received help. The response in our school has been very positive. The guidance counselors 

told me that the screening helped them connect with students who they did not know were 

struggling. Student evaluations of SOS indicated our young people found the screening 

process to be very valuable, and they now have a better idea of how to help a friend, a 

family member, or themselves.” 

Signs of Suicide (SOS): From a School Mental Health Clinician, Washington, DC

“I have identified four students already, all of them Latinos, two boys and two girls (and I 

have only done three groups of SOS). One of the boys identified, who seemed to be a tough 

boy, gave the test back and I saw that he answered ‘yes’ to one of the questions. I sat down 

with him and reviewed all the questions thinking he may have not understood the question 

well, but he did. I was sort-of shocked because I would have never thought of this boy 

having suicidal ideation. One of the girls identified was basically screaming for help. She 

could have easily been badly poisoned if she had not participated in SOS and I was not able 

to stop the plan she had.”

TeenScreen: At Moultonborough Academy, New Hampshire

Moultonborough Academy, a very small public high school in central New Hampshire, 

decided to implement TeenScreen without having had a suicide attempt or death simply 

because they thought mental health screening was important. 

During the four years the program has been conducted, about 150 students have been 

screened. Of these, about 10 students have screened positive—students whom the staff 

would not have otherwise identified. In addition, they give every student who participates a 

directory of local mental health services and encourage them to use it if they or their friends 

ever need help. According to Peter Whelley, the district school psychologist, “This program 

has been successful because the health teachers, counselors, and other teachers have worked 

well together and received support from the school administrators.”
162 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

TeenScreen: From Project Coordinator, STOP Suicide Program, Washington, DC

Sheryce, a 17-year-old African-American female, participated in a screening at her school 

but did not score positive. However, during the standard debriefing with the screener, 

Sheryce requested a clinical interview. During the clinical interview, Sheryce disclosed that 

she was feeling hopeless about her situation: as a single mother living temporarily with a 

friend and involved in a bad relationship, she felt she might have to place her baby in foster 

care. She admitted to having thought about suicide at times. 

The STOP Suicide Program staff referred Sheryce to a comprehensive set of mental health 

and social services. Three months after the screening, Sheryce had enrolled in the GED 

preparation program, was meeting with a counselor and case manager weekly, and had 

retained custody of her child. 

STEPS TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT A SCREENING PROGRAM

Step 1: Convene a group to plan and conduct a screening program.

Determine which individuals will take the lead in planning and conducting a screening 

program. Use Tool 1.B: Chart of School Staff Responsibilities (see Chapter 1) to help you 

identify individuals and record the names of the people that should be a part of this group.

Step 2: Secure support from administrators and staff for a screening 

program. 

There are a number of ways to secure the support of administrators and staff for a 

screening program including:

• Provide administrators and staff with information that describes the value of 

screening programs in high schools and strategies for overcoming the challenges

• Connect administrators with peers who have implemented screening programs so 

that they can learn how the challenges were addressed and about the benefits of 

the program

Step 3: Determine which community mental health providers to use for 

referrals.

Screening is likely to increase the number of students your school identifies as needing to 

see mental health providers. Look at Tool 1.C: Chart of Community Partners (see 

Chapter 1) for a list of the local providers with whom you are partnering, and then:

• Decide which ones would be good referrals for students who are at risk for suicide 

• Determine whether you need to expand your network of providers to ensure that 

high-risk students receive a follow-up evaluation and treatment as soon as possible 
163 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Step 4: Select a screening program to use for the students at your school.

It is important to base your selection of a screening program on information about how 

well programs may meet the needs of your students and school, including diversity in the 

students’ cultural backgrounds. Tool 7.A: Matrix of Screening Programs provides key 

information on the two screening programs listed in the National Registry of EvidenceBased Programs and Practices (NREPP). Additional information on these programs is 

available under “Screening” in the “Resources” section at the end of the toolkit. An 

alternative approach to screening is described in the sidebar on the next page.

It can be very helpful to learn about other schools’ experiences with implementing 

screening programs. To locate schools with this type of experience, contact the screening 

programs directly or ask your professional networks. 

Alternative Approach to Identifying Students at Risk

The Miami-Dade County Public Schools in Florida developed the Student Intervention 

Profile to identify students who may be at risk for suicide. Classroom teachers and other 

school professionals rate all students on their performance in the following areas: 

• Academic achievement

• Effort

• Conduct

• Attendance

• Negative report card comments

• Code of student violations

• Involvement with school police

Students who show difficulty in three or more of these areas are referred to a school 

counselor. The counselor meets with the student to assess specific needs and works with 

other school staff to help the student succeed in school and cope better with emotional and/

or behavioral difficulties, including any suicidal behavior. (Zenere & Lazarus 2009, p.192)

Step 5: Engage parents in the screening program.

• It is essential to determine whether there are any State, school district, tribal, 

Bureau of Indian Education, or program funder requirements about obtaining 

parental consent in order for your school to conduct a screening program. *If 

there are, find out whether the consent must be active or may be passive.

• Obtaining parental consent can be challenging. Some parents do not want to 

consider the possibility that their child could have behavioral health problems 

or be suicidal. Some students may simply never give the consent form to their 

parents, and some parents simply may never get around to signing the form. 
164 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

*Note that all high school programs funded through the Garrett Lee Smith Act are required to obtain 

active parental consent when using screening programs. In addition, local, State, and Federal laws may 

require parental consent. For example, the Protection of Pupil Rights amendment (PPRA), which 

stipulates parental consent requirements for surveys administered in schools, may be applicable to screening 

programs in schools.

There are a number of methods that can help you gain parental consent, including 

the following:

• Inform parents about the screening program beforehand and provide them with 

information about the value of screening and the benefits of getting treatment 

when it is needed. In tribal communities, establish relationships with tribal 

leaders and programs to assist in informing families.

• Try strategies used in other schools. Talk with schools that have successfully 

implemented a screening program. For more details, see Tool 7.B: Ideas to 

Maximize Parental Consent Response Rate. 
165 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

PARENTAL CONSENT

Active Consent 

Definition: A student can participate only if the parent gives explicit permission. 

Usually written permission is required. In some cases, verbal permission is accepted.

Pros: Ensures parents are informed and their approval is obtained. This engagement 

increases the likelihood that parents will help their child obtain treatment, if it is needed.

Cons: Often difficult to get responses (whether “yes” or “no”) from parents. It takes more 

staff time than passive consent. Fewer students are likely to be screened.

Passive Consent 

Definition: Notice about the program must be sent or given to the parent. 

Communication back to the school is only necessary if the parent does not 

want the student to participate. Lack of response from the parent means the student has 

permission to participate.

Pros: Ensures parents are informed and gives them an opportunity to deny their child 

participation. School staff do not have to spend time trying to get responses. Usually 

more students are screened than with active consent.

Cons: Some parents might contact the school after the screening is done and say they 

never received notification about the screening program and object to it. If parental 

support is not obtained early, some parents might be less likely to consent to needed 

treatment for their child.

No Consent

Pros: No time or expense needs to be spent trying to get parent consent.

Cons: If parents are not notified about the screening program or they do not receive 

information that is sent home about it, some might object to it and be less likely to 

consent to needed treatment for their child.
166 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

CHAPTER 7: SCREENING TOOLS

Tool 7.A: Matrix of Screening Programs

Tool 7.B: Ideas for Maximizing Parental Response Rate
167 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 7.A: Matrix of Screening Programs

This matrix lists all of the Screening Programs that are in the National Registry of Evidence-Based 

Prevention Practices (NREPP), as of October 2010. There are currently no screening programs in the Best 

Practices Registry (BPR). The criteria for NREPP and BPR are different. See Tool 1.K: Suicide 

Prevention Registries Information Sheet. 

The matrix also indicates the primary and secondary components of each program. The primary 

component of the program is the one around which the program is built. Secondary components are 

included to strengthen the primary component and/or to create a more comprehensive program. For each 

of the types of component listed there is a separate chapter in this toolkit. 

SCREENING PROGRAMS

Program Registry Components Grades Number of 

Questions

Parental 

Consent

TeenScreen 

Schools and 

Communities

NREPP Screening is the sole 

component. It may take 

place during a class period 

or after school. Teens 

complete a short screening 

questionnaire. Those at risk 

meet with a mental health 

professional. Those not 

at risk have a debriefing 

interview that allows teens to 

ask questions.

6–12 Columbia 

Health Screen, 

a 14-item 

paper and pen 

questionnaire, 

or Diagnostic 

Predictive 

Scales, a 

52-item 

computerized 

questionnaire. 

Active 

required

SOS (Signs 

of Suicide) 

NREPP A curriculum of 1–3 

lessons is the primary 

component, and screening 

is the main secondary 

component. Screening 

is done in a class period, 

usually at the end of a 

lesson, and is scored by 

students or staff. Those at 

risk are given an assessment 

interview. The screening 

is not done as a standalone program without 

the curriculum. The other 

secondary components are 

sample presentations for a 

1-hour staff in-service and a 

parent education night.

8–12 A 9-item 

paper and pen 

questionnaire.

One version of 

screening tool 

is for parents 

to complete 

about their 

child. Both 

tools available 

in Spanish.

Choice 

of active, 

passive 

or none 

(depending 

on school 

district 

policy)*

For additional resources, see the Screening section in the “Resources” section of the toolkit. 

*Note that all high school programs funded through the Garrett Lee Smith Act are required to obtain active parental 

consent when using screening programs.
168 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Tool 7.B: Ideas for Maximizing Parental Response Rate

These ideas can help maximize the return rate of parental consent forms, whether the response is “yes” or 

“no” (Rodgers, 2006, except where otherwise noted):

• Send the consent form home with students with a registration or “back to school” packet, other 

important forms, or a report card. Return rates improve if the form is sent with other materials 

that need to be signed by parents and returned to the school.

• Have parents sign the consent form at parent-teacher meetings or a school-based function, 

such as Back to School Night. Station school staff at a location where parents have to stop to 

complete forms.

• Provide incentives for returned forms (regardless of whether the response is “yes” or “no”):

• Student incentives: Pencils, t-shirts, candy, movie cards, sports memorabilia (Brown & 

Grumet, 2009 for the last two), or a class party. Extra credit in health class or another class 

(Gutierrez & Osman, 2008).

• Parent incentives: Gift cards for local stores or entries for prize drawings.

• Teacher incentives: Gift cards when a specific number or percent of students return the form. 

• Use a simple, easy-to-read, eye-catching, and culturally relevant letter and form printed on 

colored paper.

• Send a reminder notice with an additional form to parents who do not respond. Or call them.

REFERENCES

Brown, M., & Grumet, J. (2009). School-based suicide prevention with African American youth in an 

urban setting. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(2), 111–117.

Gutierrez, P. M., & Osman, A. (2008). Adolescent suicide: An integrated approach to the assessment of 

risk and protective factors. DeKalb, IL: Northern Illinois University Press.

Rodgers, P. H. (2006). Maximizing the return of parent consent forms. Unpublished manuscript. Newton, 

MA: Suicide Prevention Resource Center, Education Development Center, Inc. 
169 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

REFERENCE LIST

Note: This list contains references from the text of the toolkit. References for the tools 

are listed only on the tools.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), & Suicide Prevention Resource 

Center (SPRC). (2011). After a suicide: A toolkit for schools. Newton, MA: Education 

Development Center, Inc.

Blum, R. W., McNeely, C., & Rinehart, P. M. (2002). Improving the odds: The untapped 

power of schools to improve the health of teens. Minneapolis, MN: Center for Adolescent 

Health and Development, University of Minnesota. Retrieved from http://www.med.umn.

edu/peds/ahm/prod/groups/med/@pub/@med/documents/asset/med_21771.pdf

Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA. (Rev. ed. 2007). Screening for mental 

health problems in schools. (Policy issues analysis brief). Los Angeles: Author. Retrieved 

from http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/policyissues/mhscreeningissues.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2009a). Web-based Injury Statistics 

Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [online]. National Center for Injury Prevention and 

Control. Retrieved March 30, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2009b). School connectedness: 

Strategies for increasing protective factors among youth. Atlanta, GA: Department of 

Health and Human Services. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/

adolescenthealth/pdf/connectedness.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2010a). Youth risk behavior 

surveillance—United States, 2009. Surveillance Summaries. Morbidity and Mortality 

Weekly Report, 59(SS-5). Retrieved June 11, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/

ss/ss5905.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2010b). Youth risk behavior 

surveillance—United States, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2010, from http://www.cdc.gov/

healthyyouth/health_and_academics/pdf/yrbs_slides_violence.ppt

Davidson L. E., & Gould M. S. (1989). Contagion as a risk factor for youth suicide. 

Report of the secretary’s task force on youth suicide. (Vol. 2) Risk factors for youth 

suicide. Washington, DC: Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health 

Service, 88–109. (DHHS publication no. (ADM)89-1622.)

Department of Education (ED). (2010). Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. 

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Doan, J., Roggenbaum, S., & Lazear, K. (2003). Youth suicide prevention school-based 

guide—Issue brief 4: Administrative issues. Tampa, FL: Department of Child and Family 

Studies, Division of State and Local Support, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health 

Institute, University of South Florida. (FMHI Series Publication #218-4)
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of protective factors. Journal of Adolescent Health, 39(5), 662–668.

Epstein, J. A., & Spirito, A. (2009). Risk factors for suicidality among a nationally representative sample 

of high school students. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 39(3), 241–251.

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interventions: A review of the past 10 years. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent 

Psychiatry, 42(4), 386–405.

Gould, M., Jamieson, P., & Romer, D. (2003b). Media contagion and suicide among the young. American 

Behavioral Scientist, 46(9), 1269–1284.

Gould, M., Klomek, A. B., & Batejan, K. (2009). The role of schools, colleges and universities in suicide 

prevention. In D. Wasserman & C. Wasserman (Eds.), The Oxford Textbook of Suicidology and Suicide 

Prevention: A Global Perspective (pp.551–563). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.

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examination of age-specific effects. American Journal of Public Health, 80(2), 211–212.

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Resource Section

Sources

 of 

Strength©

A 

National 

Best 

Practice 

Registry 

Program

Sources of 

Strength’s

Core 

Principles

• Bring together and train 

both peer leaders and 

caring adults. One 

without the other lacks 

prevention power.

• Peer Leaders break 

down codes of silence 

and increase student 

help seeking from

caring adults.

• A core emphasis on 

strengths that goes 

beyond a simple focus 

on suicide risk and 

warning signs.

• Move beyond a singular 

focus on mental health 

referrals and train 

students to develop 

multiple sources of 

support.

• Hope, Help and 

Strength messages use

local voices and faces to 

saturate local schools 

and communities with 

stories of resiliency 

instead of trauma.

Evidence Based The National Peer Leadership Study

Sources of Strength is the subject of one of the nation’s largest 

studies on peer leaders and their impact in suicide prevention. The 

results of this study have shown:

• Increase in peer leader’s connectedness to adults

• Increase in peer leader’s school engagement

• Peer leaders in larger schools were four times more likely to refer a suicidal 

friend to an adult.

• Among general student population the program increased positive 

perceptions of adult support for suicidal youth and the acceptability of 

seeking help.

• Positive perception of adult support increased most in students with a 

history of suicidal ideation.

• ✪ Sources of Strength is the first suicide prevention program involving 

peer leaders to enhance protective factors associated with reducing suicide 

at the school population level! These results and this study can be found in

The American Journal of Public Health

· U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Center for Mental Health Services

www.samhsa.gov

To Live To See the Great Day That Dawns:

Preventing Suicide by American Indian and 

Alaska Native Youth and Young Adults

SCHOOL 

CONNECTEDNESS 

STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING PROTECTIVE 

FACTORS AMONG YOUTH 

175 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

RESOURCES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Getting Started 

• Guides

• Information Sheets

Crisis Response/Postvention

• Guides

• Information Sheets and Articles

Staff Education and Training 

• Identifying Suicide Risk (Training for school staff)

• Assessing Suicide Risk (Training for health and mental health professionals)

Parent/Guardian Education and Outreach

• Programs

• Information Sheets and Web Pages

Student Education and Skill-Building 

• Curricula for All Students

• Skills-Building Programs for Individuals at Risk of Suicide

• Peer Leader Programs

• Information Sheets and Web Pages

Screening

Video List

National Organizations and Federal Agencies with Resources and Information on Adolescent 

Suicide Prevention
176 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Notes

• All costs listed are accurate as of this toolkit’s publication date. If no cost is listed, the material 

is free.

• The category “Review” lists evaluations of the program, including acceptance in the 

National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP) or the Best Practices 

Registry (BPR). See Tool 1.K: Suicide Prevention Registries Information Sheet for details on 

these registries.

• This Resource Section includes a number of items that have not been evaluated. They are 

included for a few reasons, for example they are items schools find particularly useful but that are 

not typically evaluated (e.g., fact sheets, or guides), or they fill gaps in the existing materials.
177 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

GETTING STARTED

Guides

Ensuring the Seventh Generation: A Youth Suicide Prevention Toolkit for Tribal Child 

Welfare Programs

Author: National Indian Child Welfare Association

Date: 2009

Web link: http://www.nicwa.org/YouthSuicidePreventionToolkit/YSPToolkit.pdf

Description: Although this toolkit is intended for tribal child welfare workers and care providers, it has 

sections that are relevant for staff working in schools. In addition to discussing general risk and protective 

factors and warning signs for suicide among youth and for LGBTQ youth as well as child welfare related 

risk factors, it also includes several articles that address issues particularly relevant to suicide prevention 

among tribal youth. 

Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention Toolkit (Also called Getting Started)

Author: Mental Health America of Wisconsin

Date: 2007

Web link: http://www.mhawisconsin.org/gls_toolkit.aspx

Description: This online resource collection contains a wide variety of materials useful for starting a 

youth suicide prevention program. They are listed under nine different topic sections, including making 

the case for developing a program, coalition building, youth screening programs and classroom curricula, 

gatekeeper training, crisis planning and postvention, evaluation tools, and information on obtaining 

funding.

Guidelines for School-Based Suicide Prevention Programs

Author: American Association of Suicidology, Prevention Division

Date: 1999

Web link: http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/library/aasguide_school.pdf

Description: This set of guidelines describes the conceptual basis for school-based suicide prevention 

programs; requirements for effective prevention programs, effective implementation, and effective 

retention of programs over time; and the key components of school-based suicide prevention programs. 

These guidelines are used as part of the criteria for inclusion of programs in the Best Practices Registry.

Research-Based Guidelines and Practices for School-Based Suicide Prevention

Author: Deborah Kimokeo, National Center on Child Fatality Review

Date: 2006 

Web link: http://ican-ncfr.org/documents/SchoolSuicide.pdf

Description: This document summarizes Federal (and California) activity to prevent student suicide and 

provides research-based guidance for district – local – and site-level suicide prevention programming 

with comprehensive involvement of school personnel. 
178 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

School Connectedness: Strategies for Increasing Protective Factors among Youth 

Author: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Date: 2009

Web Link: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/adolescenthealth/pdf/connectedness.pdf

Description: School connectedness is defined by the CDC in this guide as “the belief by students that 

adults and peers in the school care about their learning as well as about them as individuals.” It is a strong 

protective factor against suicidal ideation and attempts. At a conference in 2003 sponsored by CDC’s 

Division of Adolescent and School Health and the Johnson Foundation, six evidence-based strategies to 

increase students’ sense of connectedness were identified. This publication outlines the roles and 

responsibilities of school administrators, teachers, support staff, and parents in implementing the six 

strategies, along with specific actions that can be taken to implement each strategy.

School Interventions to Prevent Youth Suicide (Technical Assistance Sampler)

Author: Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA

Date: Revised 2007

Web link: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/sampler/suicide/suicide.pdf

Description: This packet of author-produced and other collected materials provides the following: an 

overview of the problem; a suicide risk assessment; information on planning school interventions and 

training staff; guidance on providing support and preventing contagion in the aftermath of a suicide; and 

sources for hotlines, consultants, and mental health services.

Schools and Suicide: Latest and Best School-based Strategies

Author: Madelyn S. Gould

Date: 2010

Web link: http://www.wellawaresp.org/pdf/Well%20Aware%20Webinar_Schools%20and%20Suicide.pdf

Description: This 56-slide PowerPoint presentation from a webinar starts by explaining why suicide 

prevention does belong in schools. It then describes the five types of school-based suicide prevention 

programs including their rationale, aims, beneficial and detrimental effects, and limitations, and gives 

examples of each.

Screening/Assessing Students: Indicators and Tools

Author: Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA

Date: Revised 2007

Web link: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/assessment/assessment.pdf

Description: This packet of author-produced and other collected materials includes overviews, outlines, 

checklists, instruments, and recommendations and guidelines from Federal agencies related to early 

identification through screening. It also examines the controversy related to the many false positives 

resulting from universal screening, as well as issues related to screening high-risk youth. 
179 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Suicide Prevention (Quick Training Aids)

Author: Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA

Date: Revised 2007

Web link: http://www.smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/quicktraining/suicideprevention.pdf

Description: These quick training aids provide factsheets on suicide rates and methods to assess suicide 

risk and prevent suicide. Author-produced and other collected materials include several tools and 

handouts for use with presentations. 

To Live To See the Great Day That Dawns: Preventing Suicide by American Indian and 

Alaska Native Youth and Young Adults

Author: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services

Date: 2010

Web link: To download a copy: http://www.sprc.org/library/Suicide_Prevention_Guide.pdf

To order a hard copy: Go to http://store.samhsa.gov/product/Preventing-Suicide-by-American-Indian-andAlaska-Native-Youth-and-Young-Adults/SMA10-4480.

Description: This guide supports American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities and those 

who serve them in developing effective, culturally appropriate suicide prevention plans for youth and 

young adults. Its intended users include tribal/village leaders, elders, healers, youth activists, suicide 

prevention program leaders, school administrators, and other community members. Although the guide’s 

focus is on suicide prevention in the community as a whole, many of the programs described in Chapter 7, 

Promising Suicide Prevention Programs, are school based. The guide also includes information about risk 

and protective factors that are particularly relevant to AI/AN youth and issues in adapting programs for 

cultural differences.

Wisconsin Components of a School-Based Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and 

Postvention Model

Author: Mental Health America of Wisconsin

Date: 2007

Web link: http://www.mhawisconsin.org/schoolbasedmodel.aspx

Description: This guide is for schools to use in developing or improving their prevention programs, crisis 

plans, and response to suicides. It describes components of a comprehensive, school-based suicide 

prevention program and provides detailed guidelines and procedures for dealing with suicidal crises and 

postvention. The extensive appendices include handouts and tools on suicide prevention, intervention, and 

postvention geared toward multiple audiences.
180 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Youth Suicide Prevention School-Based Guide

Author: Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida

Date: 2003

Web link: http://theguide.fmhi.usf.edu/

Description: This tool provides a series of checklists for schools to assess their existing or proposed 

suicide prevention efforts and resources and information that school administrators can use to enhance or 

add to their existing programs. Topics covered include administrative issues, risk and protective factors, 

prevention guidelines, intervention and postvention strategies, family partnerships, school climate, and 

diverse populations.

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/

YouthSuicidePreventionSchoolbasedGuideChecklists.pdf 

Youth Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention Guidelines: A Resource for 

School Personnel

Author: Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program

Date: 2009 (fourth edition)

Web link: http://www.maine.gov/suicide/docs/Guidelines%2010-2009--w%20discl.pdf

Description: This document provides a description of the components of a comprehensive school-based 

suicide prevention program; an assessment form for schools to determine if they are ready to manage 

suicidal behavior; detailed guidelines for implementing suicide intervention and postvention in schools; 

and appendices with a variety of other related materials, including an outline for an awareness session for 

all school personnel and sample forms, letters, and handouts.

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/Maine_BPR_FactSheet.pdf 

Note: For more information and resources on Maine’s school-based suicide prevention program, go to 

http://www.maine.gov/suicide/professionals/program/index.htm. Look at both the center of the page and 

the links in the sidebar on the left.

Information Sheets

Mentors—Coaches—Youth Leaders

Author: Needham Suicide Prevention Coalition

Date: 2007

Web link: http://www.needhamacts.org/mentors.htm

Description: This section of the Needham Acts Web site contains information sheets for mentors, 

coaches, and youth leaders on how to identify whether a young person they are guiding, coaching, or 

supervising may be suicidal and what to do about it.

Response to the Myth that Talking about Suicide Will “Plant the Idea”

Author: John Kalafat

Date: 2001

Web link: http://www.sptsnj.org/educators/talking-myth.html

Description: In this brief essay, John Kalafat, a well-known expert in suicide prevention, summarized 

evidence supporting the position that talking about suicide does not increase risk but serves to prevent it. 
181 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

School Awareness Series: The Role of the School Board in Suicide Prevention

Author: Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide

Date: 2007

Web link: http://www.sptsnj.org/pdfs/school-board.pdf

Description: This one-page factsheet helps school board members evaluate their districts’ staff policies 

and awareness training for suicide prevention in at-risk students. It also helps board members to evaluate 

their district’s preparedness and response. 

School-Based Suicide Prevention: A Matter of Life and Death

Author: Jan Ulrich, Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services

Date: 2009

Web link: http://www.kentuckysuicideprevention.org/Movies/School-based%20Suicide%20Prevention.html

To obtain a copy: Contact Jan Ulrich at jan.ulrich@ky.gov

Description: This 14-minute, two-part video is a helpful tool to use with school decision-makers 

regarding the need for school-based suicide prevention/postvention programs and crisis planning. 

School administrators and staff share their experiences of dealing with the suicides of their students. An 

overview is given of school-based suicide prevention programs and crisis planning to reduce suicide 

among middle and high school students, including potential suicide contagion. The video emphasizes 

the importance of educating staff using gatekeeper programs and educating and screening students with 

evidence-based programs.

School Health and Mental Health Providers (SPRC Customized Information Series)

Author: Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC), Education Development Center, Inc. 

Date: 2005

Web link: http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/library/SchoolHealthMentalHealth.pdf

Description: This Web page, created for school health and mental health providers, contains information 

on recognizing and responding to warning signs; resource materials about suicide prevention, including 

programs; and other suicide prevention information relevant to school health and mental health providers. 

Suicide Prevention and Intervention

Author: Richard Lieberman, Scott Poland, and Katherine Cowan, National Association of School 

Psychologists

Date: 2006

Web link: http://www.nasponline.org/resources/principals/Suicide%20Intervention%20in%20

Secondary%20Schoools%20NASSP%20Oct%202006.pdf

Description: This article provides guidance to administrators on the problem of student suicide; warning 

signs; suicide prevention planning, including schoolwide approaches such as gatekeeper training, 

screening, and establishing a suicide prevention task force; and postvention. It also addresses legal 

considerations and responding to caregivers. 
182 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Teachers (SPRC Customized Information Series)

Author: Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC), Education Development Center, Inc. 

Date: 2005

Web link: http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/Teachers.pdf

Description: This Web page, created for teachers, provides information on recognizing and responding to 

warning signs; resource materials about suicide prevention, including programs; and other suicide 

prevention information relevant to teachers.

Understand Suicide: Outlining Basic Characteristics

Author: Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide

Date: 2009

Web link: http://www.sptsnj.org/educators/understanding-suicide.html

Description: This information sheet provides a definition of suicide and discusses five key characteristics 

of suicide.

What Every Teacher Should Know

Author: Oregon Youth Suicide Prevention Program

Date: 2000

Web link: http://public.health.oregon.gov/PreventionWellness/SafeLiving/SuicidePrevention/Pages/

spubs.aspx

Description: This brochure discusses ways teachers can recognize warning signs in students, ways to 

access help for them, and how to engage families in accessing services. Also available in Spanish. 

CRISIS RESPONSE/POSTVENTION

Guides

After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools

Authors: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Suicide Prevention Resource Center 

Date: 2011

Web link: Will be available online at http://www.sprc.org/library/AfteraSuicideToolkitforSchools.pdf and 

http://www.afsp.org/files/Surviving/toolkit.pdf

Description: This online resource provides basic information for schools to use in developing and 

implementing responses to a suicide death of a student or staff person. It includes information about what 

to do in getting started, implementing crisis response actions, dealing with issues related to memorials, 

helping students cope, and working with social media and the community. It includes sample letters; 

talking points and suggested outlines for meetings with students, staff, and parents; and a list of links to 

other resource materials.
183 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Lifelines Postvention: Responding to Suicide and Other Traumatic Death

Authors: Maureen Underwood, Fred T. Fell, and Nicci A. Spinazzola of the Society for the Prevention of 

Teen Suicide

Date: 2010

Web link: Order from Hazelden Publishing at: http://www.hazelden.org/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpItmDspRte.

jsp?item=54103&sitex=10020:22372:US

Description: This manual provides guidance in the development of protocols for a school’s response to 

suicide and other traumatic deaths. The manual is divided into chapters that focus on the roles of the different 

parts of a school community, including administrators, crisis team members, teachers and other school staff, 

students, parents, and the larger community. To make it easier to locate key content in a crisis situation, a 

Quick Reference Guide is included at the end of the manual. A CD-ROM included with the manual contains 

handouts, slide show presentations, and additional resource materials.

Cost: $99

Postvention Standards Manual: A Guide for a School’s Response in the Aftermath of Sudden 

Death

Author: Mary Margaret Kerr, David A. Brent, Brian McKain, and Paula S. McCommons, STAR-Center

Date: 2003 (fourth edition)

Web link: http://www.starcenter.pitt.edu/files/document/Postvention.pdf

Description: This manual is geared toward educators, social workers, school psychologists, counselors, 

and other professionals who work with children and adolescents in the aftermath of sudden deaths, 

including suicide. It provides guidance to schools and communities in developing their own postvention 

protocols that can be activated quickly and safely. Sample materials are included for use in response to a 

sudden death.

Responding to Crisis at a School 

Author: Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA

Date: 2008

Web link: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/crisis/crisis.pdf

Description: This extensive resource aid provides guidance on crisis planning and response as well as 

violence and suicide prevention through whole school approaches involving crisis teams. It also summarizes 

evaluations on crisis team effectiveness. The collected handouts target staff, students, and parents. 

Sudden Death-Suicide-Critical Incident: Crisis Response for Principals and Student 

Services Staff

Author: Madison Metropolitan School District

Date: Revised 2005

Web link: http://www.mhawisconsin.org/Data/Sites/1/media/gls/gls_madisoncrisisplan.pdf

Description: Geared primarily toward principals, this guide lists specific procedures for coordinating a 

school’s response to a sudden death, suicide, or other critical incident. Annotated checklists for principals, 

supported by handouts for school staff, guide a school’s actions to communicate information to various 

audiences, provide support and services if needed, and prevent contagion. 
184 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Suicide Postvention in the School Community

Author: Frank Zenere, Florida Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council

Date: 2009

Web link: http://www.helppromotehope.com/documents/Zenere_Postvention.pdf

Description: These 51 slides provide an overview of considerations for postvention that involve all 

school personnel. Topics covered include risk identification, memorialization, contagion, and dealing with 

the media.

Suicide Postvention is Prevention: A ProActive Planning Workbook

Author: Brenda Dafoe, Lynda Monk, BC Council for Families

Date: 2005

Web link: http://www.bccf.ca/shop/products/suicide-postvention-prevention

Description: This workbook guides community members in suicide prevention program planning and 

implementation after a suicide. Central to the work is the establishment of a strong network involving 

students and schools, services, and community agencies. 

Cost: $22.50 

When Death Impacts Your School: A Guide for School Administrators

Author: Dougy Center for Grieving Children 

Date: 2000

Web link: http://www.amazon.com/When-Death-Impacts-Your-School/dp/1890534056

Description: This guide for school officials faced with a death affecting their students, staff, or 

community includes suggestions for dealing directly with death, developing a school intervention plan 

after a death, and addressing special issues around suicide or violence. 

Cost: $10

Information Sheets and Articles

Culturally Competent Crisis Response: Information for School Psychologists and Crisis 

Teams

Author: American School Counseling Association

Date: 2004

Web link: http://www.schoolcounselor.org/files/cc_crisis.pdf

Description: This information sheet, using vignettes on suicide among minority students, discusses crisis 

response planning and culturally competent response. 

Dealing With Death at School

Author: Scott Poland and Donna Poland, National Association of School Psychologists

Date: 2004

Web link: http://www.nasponline.org/resources/principals/Dealing%20with%20Death%20at%20

School%20April%2004.pdf

Description: This article discusses the appropriate ways in which school leadership should respond to a 

death in the school community, with particular emphasis on death by suicide. 
185 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Helping Students Cope with Suicide

Author: Robert Evans, National Association of Independent Schools

Date: 2004

Web link: http://www.nais.org/articlePrint.cfm?print=Y&ItemNumber=145734

Description: Short factsheet providing five guidelines on how to talk with students after a suicide in the 

school community. 

Memorial Activities at School: A List of “Do’s” and “Don’ts” 

Author: National Association of School Psychologists

Date: 2002

Web link: http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/memorialdo_donot.pdf

Description: This one-page list identifies appropriate memorial responses after a suicide that can assist 

the school community in coping with the loss and prevent loss-related distress.

Suicide Clusters and Contagion

Author: Frank J. Zenere, National Association of Secondary School Principals 

Date: 2009

Web link: http://www.nasponline.org/resources/principals/Suicide_Clusters_NASSP_Sept_%2009.pdf

Description: This article describes the problem of contagion and how administrators can prevent it by 

establishing a crisis team, recognizing and monitoring at-risk students, and mobilizing communitywide responses. 

Understanding Student Reactions to the Anniversary Date of a Peer’s Death

Author: Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide

Date: 2009

Web link: http://www.sptsnj.org/educators/anniversary-date-reactions.pdf

Description: This factsheet discusses how developmental characteristics of teens can make them 

especially vulnerable on the anniversary of a peer’s death and how adults can prepare for and respond to 

their needs and reactions. 
186 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

STAFF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

The guide To Live To See the Great Day That Dawns describes the applicability of some of the staff 

programs below to American Indian and Alaska Native communities. See pages 76–83 of the guide, 

located at http://www.sprc.org/library/Suicide_Prevention_Guide.pdf

Identifying Suicide Risk (Training for school staff)

At-Risk for High School Educators: Identify and Refer Students in Mental Distress

Author: Kognito Interactive

Date: 2010

Web link: http://www.kognito.com/products/highschool/

Description: This online, interactive gatekeeper training program uses virtual role-play to help high school 

teachers, staff, and administrators learn common signs of psychological distress, including depression, 

anxiety, and thoughts of suicide, and how to approach an at-risk student for referral to the school counselor.

It is a 1-hour simulation in which users take on the role of a teacher, analyze profiles of three at-risk virtual 

students, and then engage in simulated conversations with them, including to encourage them to see the 

school counselor. Users practice and learn to use open-ended questions, reflective listening, and other 

communications techniques. This program is based on At-Risk for University Faculty, which is included in 

the SPRC Best Practices Registry for suicide prevention programs.

Cost: Available to schools, districts, and states. Price ranges from approximately $5 to $40 per user 

depending on the number of users. For pricing information, contact Kognito at info@kognito.com.

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/AtRiskHSEducators.pdf

Be A Link! Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training

Author: Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program

Date: Revised 2009

Web link: http://www.yellowribbon.org/

Description: This is a 2-hour adult gatekeeper training program developed by Yellow Ribbon. The 

program may be implemented in a variety of settings, including schools, workplaces, and community 

groups. The training provides participants with knowledge to help them identify youth at risk for suicide 

and refer them to appropriate help resources. Training materials include a PowerPoint presentation 

(provided on a CD) and a trainer’s manual. This program is often used in conjunction with the Yellow 

Ribbon student program Ask 4 Help! Trainers (teachers or representatives of Yellow Ribbon) are required 

to attend a 2-day training given by Yellow Ribbon that covers both Be A Link! and Ask 4 Help! and is 

held at either their site or a local location.

Cost: $299.95, which also includes materials for Ask 4 Help! Training of trainers is $295, (which includes 

training and all materials for both Be a Link! and Ask 4 Help!) plus the individual’s travel to a Yellow 

Ribbon site or a facilitator’s travel to a local site. 

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/

BeALinkSuicidePrevGatekeepeeTraining.pdf
187 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Dealing with Suicide-related Curriculum

Author: Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide

Date: 2009

Web link: http://www.sptsnj.org/educators/suicide-curriculum.html

Description: This information sheet provides guidance on dealing with suicide themes in traditional 

coursework, such as the play “Romeo and Juliet,” and how to manage the emotions of students who may 

have been personally affected by suicide. 

Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Program: A High School Curriculum

(See description in Student Education and Skill-Building section)

LGBTQ Suicide Prevention Training

Author: Washington Youth Suicide Prevention Program

Date: Workshop 2007, webinar 2009

Web link: http://www.yspp.org/lgbtq/safe_accepted.htm

Description: The OUTLoud program of the Washington Youth Suicide Prevention Program offers a 

workshop for staff and teachers and a webinar focusing on suicide prevention in gay, lesbian, bisexual, 

transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. The workshop Safe and Accepted - LGBTQ Youth Suicide 

Prevention & Intervention covers warning signs, distinctions between suicide and self-harm, and how to 

access help. The webinar LGBTQ Youth: An Introduction to Risk & Protective Factors is geared toward all 

audiences and discusses risk factors, warning signs, protective factors, and resources for LGBTQ youth. 

Cost: Webinar free. Workshops free within King County, WA, and negotiated outside. Contact Heather 

Carter at heather@yspp.org or 206-297-5922, ext.116.

Lifelines

(See description in Student Education and Skill-Building section)

Making Educators Partners in Suicide Prevention 

Author: Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide

Date: 2007

Web link: http://spts.pldm.com/

Description: Geared toward educators and school staff, this online interactive training program consists 

of five modules (2 hours total) addressing the critical but limited responsibilities of educators in 

identifying and referring potentially suicidal youth. In addition to lecture, question and answer, and 

role-play formats, experts and survivors provide a rationale for school-based suicide prevention. 

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/SPTS_NJFactSheet.pdf
188 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

More Than Sad: Suicide Prevention Education for Teachers and Other School Personnel

Author: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Date: 2010

Web link: http://www.morethansad.org

Description: Geared toward teachers and other school personnel, this 2-hour training program is built 

around two 25-minute DVDs and can be led by school staff. Also included are a 42-page instructional 

manual for program participants and slides for teacher trainers. The program is also suitable for parents 

and other adults who care for or work with youth.

Cost: $99.99

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/MoreThanSad.pdf

Online Staff Development Curriculum 

Author: Jason Foundation

Date: 1998

Web link: http://jasonfoundation.com/resources/index_materials.php

Description: This curriculum has three multipart modules with a certificate of completion. The first 

module gives an overview of suicide and lists warning signs and risk factors. The second module provides 

further information on suicide prevention and includes excerpts from two professionals. The third module 

suggests ways to incorporate a protocol in a crisis situation. The modules are available in several formats: 

staff presented, interactive CD-ROM or DVD (to be used with a local school facilitator), and via Internet 

access or video conference.

QPR Gatekeeper Training

Author: Paul Quinnett

Date: 1999; Customized versions for different audiences are continually being developed.

Web link: http://www.qprinstitute.com/

Description: This training program uses the mnemonic QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) to guide lay and 

professional gatekeeper responses in a mental health emergency, including suicide. It covers recognizing 

early warning signs, persuading the individual to accept help, and accessing needed services. The training 

is delivered in a standardized 1 – to 2-hour, multimedia format by certified QPR gatekeeper instructors. 

An online version is also available. African American and Native American versions of the 9 1/2-minute 

video shown at the beginning of the training are available for both in-person and online trainings. Inperson trainings and handouts are available that are tailored for Native Americans and in other languages, 

including Spanish.

Cost: In-person cost varies. Online training, $29.95; enter QPRO at the prompt for an educational 

discount. Instructor training, $495. Recertification, $85. 

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/QPR_FactSheet.pdf 

Also, Reis, C., & Cornell, D. (2008). An evaluation of suicide gatekeeper training for school counselors 

and teachers. Professional School Counseling, 11(6), 386–394. 

RESPONSE

(See description in Student Education and Skill-Building section)
189 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

safeTALK

Author: LivingWorks Education, Inc. 

Date: 2006

Web link: http://www.livingworks.net/ST.php

Description: This 3-hour training program focuses on reducing the social barriers to discussing suicide that may 

prevent recognition of suicide risk and referral to treatment. Participants are shown video scenarios of a person in 

crisis and asked to demonstrate learned identification and intervention skills. In schools, it can be used with any 

staff, students ages 15+, and parents. It is recommended that it be used where there are providers trained in 

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) to whom students can be referred, but it can be used where 

providers have other equivalent suicide prevention training.

Cost: 3-hour training cost varies. Resource kit, $6.50 each. 2-day training of trainers, $675 per person. 

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/safeTALK.pdf

Suicide Prevention among LGBT Youth: A Workshop for Professionals Who Serve Youth

Author: Suicide Prevention Resource Center, Education Development Center, Inc.

Date: Winter 2011

Web link: http://www.sprc.org/training-institute/lgbt-youth-workshop

Description: This toolkit contains all the materials needed to provide a training on suicide prevention among 

lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth for staff who work in either youth-serving agencies or suicide 

prevention programs. The workshop described is 4 hours long, but it can be adapted and/or shortened to fit the 

needs of the audience. It covers basic information about suicide prevention, including risk and protective 

factors and warning signs; LGBT cultural competence; and ways to address suicide prevention among LGBT 

youth. Along with a PowerPoint presentation, the training includes group discussions and participatory 

activities, and the workshop kit includes a leader’s guide and handouts.

Assessing Suicide Risk (Training for health and mental health 

professionals)

Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk (AMSR)

Author: Suicide Prevention Resource Center and the American Association of Suicidology 

Date: 2006

Web link: http://www.sprc.org/training-institute/amsr

Description: This 1-day curriculum for mental health professionals is based on 24 competencies arrived at 

through a consensus process among leading clinician-researchers. The training combines lecture, video 

demonstrations, and exercises to effectively assess suicide risk, plan treatment, and manage ongoing care of the 

at-risk client. Trainings are sponsored by community groups and facilitated by AMSR’s nationwide roster of 

expert faculty. Tailored formats for university and college counseling center staff or employee assistance 

professionals are available. 

Cost: Varies depending on the trainer and the services provided. Typical costs to train 100 professionals in a 

locally sponsored workshop range from $65 to $85 per participant. This includes all trainer costs, training 

materials, and certificates of completion with continuing education credits.

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/AMSR_BPRFactSheet.pdf
190 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training)

Author: R. Ramsay, W. Lang, B. Tanney, & R. Tierney. LivingWorks Education, Inc. 

Date: Revised May 2003

Web link: http://www.livingworks.net/AS.php

Description: This 2-day training teaches suicide first aid to caregivers to identify people at risk, intervene 

through exploring reasons for dying and living, develop a “safe plan” to reduce the risk of suicide, 

perform follow-up as needed, and become involved with community networks of providers. Participants 

learn and practice skills in identifying and responding to people at immediate risk of suicide. In high 

schools, ASIST is most appropriate for mental health providers, guidance counselors, and school nurses.

Cost: Training cost varies, but $275 per participant is recommended. Training materials are $35. Training 

of trainers is $2,500 for 5-day training.

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/ASIST.pdf

PREPaRE: School Crisis Prevention and Intervention Training Curriculum

Author: National Association of School Psychologists

Date: Revised 2009

Web link: http://www.nasponline.org/prepare/index.aspx

Description: A curriculum providing training for school personnel on crisis preparation, prevention, 

intervention, response, and recovery procedures, with a special emphasis on the role of school-based 

mental health professionals. It is offered in two workshops: Workshop 1 is a 1-day, 8-hour workshop, 

recommended for school crisis teams, school mental health personnel, administrators, community 

liaisons, school resource officers, and any other staff who will be involved in crisis planning/preparation. 

Workshop 2 is a 2-day, 13-hour workshop, recommended for anyone who serves on a school crisis 

intervention team.

Cost: Workshop 1 materials fee is $25 per person. Workshop 2 materials fee is $35 per person. Training 

fees are $1,500/day plus expenses for the curriculum’s authors. Local trainer’s fees and expenses vary.

QPR Suicide Triage Training Program 

Author: Faculty of QPR Institute

Date: Revised 2010

Web link: http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/QPRT.pdf

Description: QPR stands for Question/Persuade/Refer. This training builds on the basic QPR Gatekeeper 

training but goes into greater depth and adds skills in assessing immediate suicide risk and immediately 

enhancing protective factors. While it is used by a wide variety of professionals in the community, within a 

school setting it is recommended for counselors, nurses, and social workers. The program takes 8 hours of 

classroom time or 10 hours online. Both versions have been adapted for Native Americans. The in-person 

training is taught by trainers certified and licensed to teach it who have taken a special 40-hour course.

Cost: In-person training varies. Online version is $229 for 1 university credit or $140 for continuing 

education credit or non-credit. Training of trainers is $495, which may include 8 hours of training in a 

classroom but can be done entirely online.
191 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

QPRT Suicide Risk Assessment and Risk Management Training Program 

Author: Faculty of QPR Institute

Date: Revised 2008 and updated annually

Web link: http://www.qprinstitute.com/QPRT.html

Description: QPRT stands for Question/Persuade/Refer/Treat. Compared to the QPR Suicide Triage 

Training, this course adds treatment of people at risk for suicide. It is geared toward primary healthcare 

professionals, counselors, social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists, substance abuse treatment providers, 

and clinical pastoral counselors. In addition to suicide risk detection and assessment, the course covers 

suicide risk management by establishing a safety and intervention plan for the individual who is suicidal. It 

also provides guidance for avoiding claims of suicide malpractice. The program takes 8 hours of classroom 

time or 10 hours online. Both versions have beene adapted for Native Americans. The in-person training is 

taught by trainers certified and licensed to teach it who have taken a special 40-hour course.

Cost: In-person training varies. Online version is $229 for 1 university credit or $140 for continuing 

education credit or non-credit. Training of trainers is $495, which may include 8 hours of training in a 

classroom but can be done entirely online.

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/QPRT.pdf

Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk: Essential Skills for Clinicians (RRSR)

Author: American Association of Suicidology

Date: 2006

Web link: http://www.suicidology.org/education-and-training/recognizing-responding-suicide-risk

Description: This advanced 2-day interactive training for mental health clinicians is based on the same 24 

core clinical competencies developed by expert consensus for the Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk 

(AMSR) 1-day training. These competencies comprehensively define the knowledge, skills, and attitudes 

required to effectively assess, manage, and treat individuals at risk for suicide. Instruction consists of an 

initial Web-based assessment, followed by a 2-day, face-to-face classroom workshop and an online postworkshop mentorship. Training is delivered by RRSR master trainers based throughout the United States. 

Cost: Base fee for up to 40 participants is $4,600 plus trainer travel and lodging. Additional $65 required 

for each participant’s program materials and online assessment. Continuing education credits are available 

for a $45 fee. 

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/

RecognizingRespondingSuicideRiskEssentialSkillsClinicians.pdf
192 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

School Suicide Prevention Accreditation Program

Author: American Association of Suicidology

Date: 2008

Web link: http://www.suicidology.org/c/document_library/get_file?folderId=234&name=DLFE-43.pdf

Description: This program prepares school-based health and mental health professionals to implement 

schoolwide suicide prevention programs. Self-study materials are provided prior to a certification exam. 

Topics covered include recognizing risk, assessment, intervention, postvention, reintegration, contagion, 

and working with families. 

Cost: School-based professional, $350. Graduate students, $250.

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/School%20Suicide%20

Prevention%20Accreditation%20Program%20BPR%20fact%20sheet%2010-1-10.pdf

SuicideCare

Author: LivingWorks Education, Inc.

Date: 2006

Web link: http://www.livingworks.net/page/suicideCare

Description: This 1-day, practice-oriented seminar introduces advanced clinical competencies to mental 

health clinicians and other helping professionals who work with a person at risk of suicide on a longer 

term basis. The Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is a prerequisite. 

Cost: Seminar is $25 per participant. Trainer fees are $900–$1,000 for mentoring.

PARENT/GUARDIAN EDUCATION AND 

OUTREACH 

Programs

Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Program: A High School Curriculum

(See description in Student Education and Skill-Building section)

Lifelines

(See description in Student Education and Skill-Building section)

Not My Kid

Author: Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide

Date: 2008

Web link: http://www.sptsnj.org

Description: This 17-minute Web-based video features eight parents from culturally diverse backgrounds 

asking two experts a variety of common questions about youth suicide. It poses and answers some 

questions that parents can ask to determine whether their child may be at risk for suicide. It also shows 

how to ask those questions until parents get the responses they need to understand if their child is at risk, 

and if so, how to deal with the risk.

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/NoMyKid_

WhatParentsShouldKnowAboutTeenSuicide.pdf
193 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

RESPONSE

(See description in Student Education and Skill-Building section)

Information Sheets and Web Pages

Information for Parents and Guardians: Keeping Your Child Safe

Author: Needham Suicide Prevention Coalition

Date: 2007

Web link: http://www.needhamacts.org/parents.htm

Description: This section of the Needham Acts Web site contains information sheets that answer key 

questions parents ask when they are concerned that their child or someone else’s child may be suicidal. It 

includes information on what to do in emergency situations and when a child is hospitalized.

Parent Information Sheets

Author: Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program, Maine

Date: 2006

Web link: http://www.maine.gov/suicide/parents/index.htm. Look at both the center of the page and the 

links in the sidebar on the left.

Description: This Web page contains a number of information sheets for parents that cover basic 

information on suicide prevention, how to talk with one’s own child, and how to cope after a suicide 

attempt or death.

Parent Information Sheets

Author: Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide, New Jersey

Date: 2009

Web link: http://www.sptsnj.org/parents/

Description: This Web page contains stories of parents who have lost a child to suicide and provides 

information sheets with guidance for parents on how to talk to their teens about suicide, suicide 

contagion, or the death of a friend by suicide. 

Parent Information Sheets

Author: Youth Suicide Prevention Program, Washington

Date: 2010

Web link: http://www.yspp.org/parents/index.htm; go to the drop-down menu under “For Parents”

Description: This Web page contains a number of information sheets for parents that cover basic 

information on suicide prevention; how to help different groups of teens, including talking with one’s own 

child; and how to cope after a suicide attempt or death.

Preventing Youth Suicide—Tips for Parents and Educators 

Author: National Association of School Psychologists

Date: [n.d.]

Web link: http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/suicideprevention.aspx

Description: This Web page describes the risk and resiliency factors related to suicide, warning signs of 

suicide, ways in which to respond, and parent or caregiver notification.
194 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

How Parents Can LOOK LISTEN AND HELP: Youth Suicide Is Preventable (Cómo pueden 

los padres OSERVAR ESCUCHAR AYUDAR)

Author: Oregon Youth Suicide Prevention Program

Date: 2004

Web link: http://public.health.oregon.gov/PreventionWellness/SafeLiving/SuicidePrevention/Pages/

spubs.aspx

Description: This brochure for parents discusses their role in recognizing changes in their child’s 

behavior that may indicate risk of depression or suicide and outlines how they can intervene to prevent a 

crisis and access help. A Spanish language version can be downloaded from the Web site, and an English 

language version can be ordered by email. 

STUDENT EDUCATION AND SKILL-BUILDING

The guide To Live To See the Great Day That Dawns describes the applicability of some of the student 

programs below to American Indian and Alaska Native communities. See pages 76–87 of the guide, 

located at http://www.sprc.org/library/Suicide_Prevention_Guide.pdf.

Curricula for All Students

Note: A student curriculum is the primary component of all the programs in this section. Programs that 

have additional components, such as staff training or parent education, have bulleted subheads describing 

each of the components.

A Promise for Tomorrow 

Author: Jason Foundation

Date: 1998

Web link: http://jasonfoundation.com/resources/index_materials.php

Description: This five-lesson curriculum, geared toward students in grades 7–12, teaches students to 

recognize warning signs in peers and to alert a responsible adult. Materials to train teachers to deliver the 

lessons are included. This curriculum is available in Spanish.

Review: The Jason Foundation, Inc. (2007). Comprehensive evaluation of “A Promise for Tomorrow.” 

Retrieved from http://jasonfoundation.com/Curriculum%20Evaluation.pdf 
195 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

American Indian Life Skills Development/Zuni Life Skills Development

Author: Teresa D. LaFromboise, Stanford University

Date: 1995

Web link: http://uwpress.wisc.edu/books/0129.htm

Description: This curriculum specifically targets Native American adolescents (high school and some 

middle school students) and focuses on building protective factors and life skills. In addition to increasing 

awareness of suicide, it covers building self-esteem, identifying and managing emotions and stress, 

increasing communication and problem-solving skills, and setting goals. It also teaches methods of 

helping at-risk peers move away from suicidal thinking and to seeking appropriate help. School staff 

participate in a 3-day training. They deliver the 28–56 lesson plans to students over 30 weeks. They also 

work with community resource leaders and social services agency staff to ensure that the lessons are 

culturally relevant.

Cost: Curriculum text is $29.95. Training for teachers and cultural adaptation varies.

Review: National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices http://www.nrepp.samhsa.gov/

ViewIntervention.aspx?id=81

Ask 4 Help! Suicide Prevention for Youth

Author: Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program

Date: Revised 2009

Web link: http://www.yellowribbon.org/

Description: This 1-hour, high school-based curriculum is designed to increase help-seeking among 

students and their peers. Students are instructed on how to use Ask 4 Help! wallet cards, which have 

information on how to seek help as well as a three-step action plan for helping others (stay with the 

person, listen to the person, get help for the person). The unit also discusses local resources for help and 

warning signs. Trainers (teachers or representatives of Yellow Ribbon) are required to attend a 2-day 

training given by Yellow Ribbon that covers both Be A Link! and Ask 4 Help! and is held at either their 

site or a local location. This program is usually used in conjunction with the Yellow Ribbon adult 

gatekeeper program Be A Link!

Cost: $299.95, which also includes training materials for Be A Link! Training of trainers costs $295 

(which includes training and all materials for both Ask 4 Help! and Be a Link!) plus the individual’s travel 

to a Yellow Ribbon site or a facilitator’s travel to a local site. 

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/

Ask4HelpSuicidePreventionYouth.pdf
196 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Program: A High School Curriculum

Author: Gryphon Place

Date: Revised 2008

Web link: www.gryphon.org/SuicidePreventionServices.html

Description: All services and program consultation are provided by staff of Gryphon Place or volunteers 

they have trained, and are provided almost exclusively in Michigan.

• Student Curriculum: This curriculum comprises four lessons of 50 minutes to 1 hour each, which 

are usually taught 4 days in a row. It is usually given to 9th grade students during their health class. 

The lessons are taught by university students who are trained by Gryphon Place. Students learn to 

recognize risk behaviors associated with suicide or self-harm and, if recognized, to notify a 

trusted adult.

• Staff Training: Various types of gatekeeper training are available for all school staff and run in 

length from 1 hour to 2 days.

• Parent Education: A suicide awareness workshop, lasting 1 to 11⁄2 hours, is available, along with a 

brochure containing facts about teen suicide, warning signs, and suggestions for what parents can do. 

Cost: Varies depending on the components provided. Contact Guy Golomb at 269-381-1510 or 

ggolumb@gryphon.org.

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/GryphonPlaceGatekeeperSuicid

ePreventionProgram-AMiddleSchoolCurriculum.pdf

Healthy Education for Life Program (HELP)

Author: Heartline Oklahoma

Date: Revised 2005

Web link: http://heartlineoklahoma.org/our-programs/suicide-prevention-and-outreach-programs/

Description: This suicide awareness program is designed to be given in one 45–55-minute class by 

volunteers trained by Heartline Oklahoma and is only given in Oklahoma. It can be tailored for any of the 

following age groups: 10–14, 15–19, and 20–24. The program provides information on warning signs of 

depression and suicide, and empowers youth to seek help. A brief screening checklist is given at the end 

of the lesson. The checklist reinforces the information and helps identify students who are potentially at 

risk for suicide so that they can be referred to a school counselor for follow-up. 

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/HealthyEducationLife.pdf

Helping Every Living Person (HELP) Depression and Suicide Prevention Curriculum

Author: Sue Eastgard, Washington State’s Youth Suicide Prevention Program

Date: Revised 2009

Web link: http://www.yspp.org/curriculum/HELP_curriculum.htm

Description: This pilot-tested and evaluated curriculum is most appropriate for 9th and 10th grades but 

may be used in 11th and 12th grades. It consists of four 45-minute lessons designed to be taught by a 

classroom teacher and can be easily incorporated into existing health classes. The program aims to build 

students’ resiliency, increase their help-seeking behavior, and empower them to help other youth. 

Activities include discussion, problem-solving, and skill practice. The curriculum includes the DVD “A 

Cry for Help.” Training to learn how to teach this curriculum is strongly recommended but not required.

Cost: In Washington State: materials are $100; training is free. Outside of Washington State: materials are 

$250; training is a negotiable fee.

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/HELP.pdf
197 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

LEADS: for Youth (Linking Education and Awareness of Depression and Suicide) 

Author: Suicide Awareness Voices of Education

Date: Revised 2009

Web link: http://www.save.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=45DFBB66-7E90-

9BD4-CEB81505D25E7ED1

Description:

• Student Curriculum: This 3-hour curriculum is designed to be presented in three separate class 

sessions and is usually given during health classes. It is geared toward students in grades 9–12 and 

combines lecture and discussion. It covers signs and symptoms of depression, risk and protective 

factors and warning signs for suicide, and the barriers and benefits of seeking help. LEADS 

emphasizes connecting students and teachers to school and community resources and increases 

skills in how to seek help for oneself or a friend. Training for teachers is included in the curriculum 

materials. Technical assistance is also available.

• Protocols: Also included is a guide to help implement a school suicide crisis management plan that 

covers prevention, intervention, and postvention.

Cost: $125

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/LEADSBPRfactsheet.pdf

Lifelines

Authors: Maureen Underwood, John Kalafat, and the Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program

Date: Revised 2009

Web link: http://www.hazelden.org/web/public/lifelines.page

Description: Before giving the student lessons, this comprehensive program requires that schools 

implement protocols, a referral network with local providers, a school readiness survey, staff training, and 

parent education. The trainings for students, staff, and parents all cover basic awareness about suicide 

prevention, identifying students at risk, and helping them get help. A 2-day, onsite training on how to 

implement all the program components is available.

• Student Curriculum: Four 45-minute lessons geared toward grades 8–10. Two videos model 

appropriate and inappropriate responses to a suicidal peer and an account of how students 

intervened after Lifelines training. A 1-day, onsite workshop to train teachers to teach the 

curriculum is available. 

• Staff Training: Includes a presentation that runs 45–60 minutes followed by 45–60 minutes for 

questions and discussion 

• Parent Education: Includes a presentation that runs 45–60 minutes followed by 15–45 minutes for 

questions and discussion

• Protocols: The program material contains information on conducting a school readiness survey; 

establishing protocols for responding to at-risk youth, suicide attempts, and completions; and 

implementing the program.

Cost: $225 through Hazelden Publishing at http://www.hazelden.org/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?

item=14484&sitex=10020:22372:US. The 1-day teacher training and 2-day program implementation 

training have additional fees.

Review: National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices http://www.nrepp.samhsa.gov/

ViewIntervention.aspx?id=37
198 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

RESPONSE: A Comprehensive High School-Based Suicide Awareness Program

Author: Jill Hollingsworth of ColumbiaCare Services, Inc.’s Center for Suicide Prevention

Date: Revised 2010

Web link: http://www.columbiacare.org/Page.asp?NavID=99

Description: Before giving the student lessons, this comprehensive program recommends that schools 

establish a RESPONSE team of school-based leadership and local service providers, and develop referral 

networks. The program requires that schools perform a school readiness assessment and send two staff to 

an ASIST training before offering the student component or adopting or developing suicide prevention, 

intervention, and postvention guidelines. The trainings for students, staff, and parents all include a video 

and PowerPoint presentation that promote awareness about suicide prevention, heighten sensitivity to 

depression and suicidal ideation, expose attitudinal/behavioral barriers that interfere with assistance, and 

increase the identification and referral of students who may be suicidal. In addition to the primary version 

of RESPONSE that may be used by any State, there are versions available that are tailored to Oregon, 

Virginia, and South Dakota. RESPONSE can be customized for any State with certain limitations. The 

school kit includes information that will enable school staff to implement the trainings on their own. 

However, a training of trainers will be provided if requested.

• Student Curriculum: Four 50-minute lessons. In addition to learning basic information on suicide 

prevention, students practice skills to help a peer who may be depressed or suicidal.

• Staff Training: A 2-hour training workshop for staff. In addition to learning basic information on 

suicide prevention, the training helps staff understand how to facilitate referrals, including specific 

procedures for at-risk students.

• Parent Education: 1-hour parent workshop. In addition, parents of incoming freshman are mailed 

information regarding depression and suicide prevention and the student curriculum each year.

• Protocols: The implementation manual includes step-by-step instructions for setting up the whole 

program, including a RESPONSE team; guidelines for prevention, intervention, and postvention; 

and referral networks.

Cost: School kit (implementation manual, student and staff trainings) is $375. Parent workshop is $150. 

Extra teacher manual is $125. Cost of training of trainers varies.

Review: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/RESPONSE_FactSheet.pdf
199 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

SOS: Signs of Suicide

Author: Screening for Mental Health, Inc.

Date: 2001

Web link: http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/programs/youth-prevention-programs/sos/high-school.aspx 

Description:

• Student Curriculum: Contains three 45-minute lessons for grades 8–12 that may be given during 

a health class or any other class. The first lesson, which can be given without the others, teaches 

students how to recognize symptoms of depression and suicide in themselves and others and 

how to get help. Students are taught to respond to others using the ACT mnemonic: 

Acknowledge, Care, and Tell. Training for teachers is included in the curriculum materials. 

Technical assistance is also available. 

• Screening: A brief scientifically validated screening tool for depression and other risk factors 

associated with suicidal behavior is included in this program and is usually given at the end of a 

lesson. The questionnaire has nine questions and takes about five minutes. It may be scored by the 

students themselves or by staff. Students who have a positive score are given an assessment 

interview to determine if they need further evaluation and treatment. The screening is not done as a 

stand-alone program without the curriculum. Schools can choose whether to use active, passive, or 

no parental consent depending on school district policy. Also included is a version of the screening 

tool for parents to complete about their child. Both the student and parent versions are available 

in Spanish.

• Staff Training: 1-hour awareness presentation

• Parent Education: 1-hour awareness presentation

• Supplemental Student Programs: (1) SOS Booster Program for juniors and seniors and (2) Signs of 

Self-Injury, which addresses non-suicidal self-harm in one lesson and includes a student selfassessment checklist 

Cost: High school kit is $300 and includes the student curriculum, screening program, staff training 

presentation, and parent education presentation. Downloadable renewal kit is $75. Booster program kit is 

$175. Signs of Self-Injury is $100. 

Review: National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices http://www.nrepp.samhsa.gov/

ViewIntervention.aspx?id=53
200 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Skills-Building Programs for Individuals at Risk of Suicide

CAST (Coping and Support Training)

Author: Reconnecting Youth Inc.

Date: 2006

Web link: http://www.reconnectingyouth.com/cast

Description: Designed for at-risk youth in grades 9–12, this program delivers life-skills training and 

social support in groups of 6–8 referred students. It consists of 12 55-minute group sessions given over 6 

weeks by trained facilitators. It helps students increase school performance, self-esteem, and personal and 

social protective factors; decrease anxiety, depression, hopelessness, anger, suicide risk, and drug use; and 

increase supportive connections with teachers and family. A teacher, counselor, nurse, or other mental 

health staff member experienced with at-risk youth can facilitate the group. CAST may also be used in 

middle schools, as a prevention program for youth in transition, or in a community or mental health 

agency. Training is provided by RY Inc. and can be delivered onsite. CAST’s goals are similar to those of 

Reconnecting Youth, but it is delivered in a shorter timeframe with fewer sessions.

Cost: Curriculum, $699. Student notebook, $26.50 each. 4-day training for 8–9 staff members, $8,000.

Review: National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices http://www.nrepp.samhsa.gov/

ViewIntervention.aspx?id=51

Reconnecting Youth

Author: Reconnecting Youth Inc.

Date: Revised 2004

Web link: http://www.reconnectingyouth.com/ry

Description: Designed for at-risk youth in grades 9–12, this program promotes school performance and 

decreases drug use, anger, depression, and suicidal behavior through small-group, life-skills training to 

enhance personal competencies, resiliency, and social support resources. Throughout the semester, classes 

of 10–12 referred students meet with trained facilitators every day for a 55-minute class and receive 

academic credit for participation. The five program modules are Getting Started, Self-Esteem 

Enhancement, Decision Making, Personal Control, and Interpersonal Communication. A teacher, 

counselor, nurse, or other mental health staff member experienced with at-risk youth can teach the class. 

Training is provided by Reconnecting Youth Inc. and can be delivered onsite.

Cost: Curriculum guide, $299.95. Student workbook, $24.95 each. 4-day training for 6–8 staff members, 

$8,000.

Review: National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices http://www.nrepp.samhsa.gov/

ViewIntervention.aspx?id=96
201 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Peer Leader Programs

How Not to Keep a Secret

Editors: South Shore Hospital, South Weymouth, MA, and Children’s Hospital Boston, Boston, MA

Date: 2010

To obtain the program materials: Contact Karin Farrell at karin_farrell@sshosp.org or 781-624-7849. 

Description: This interactive peer leader program provides students from different high schools with a 

1-day training focusing on depression awareness and suicide prevention. The goals of the program include 

building student knowledge and awareness, and teaching students how to reach out to a trained, 

connected, and trusted adult to prevent suicide and reduce the stigma of depression and seeking help. The 

peer leaders from each school then create a skit that portrays how mental health issues may impact teens 

and how to reach out to a trusted adult for help. These skits are performed before all present on the 

training day, and feedback is given. After the training, the peer leaders take their skit back to their own 

school and present it during awareness sessions in settings such as a freshman assembly; an advisory 

group; a health, psychology, or English class; or presentations for faculty or parents. The peer leaders may 

also talk individually with students to provide needed encouragement and assistance in seeking help.

Cost: Training manual, $50.

Native H.O.P.E. (Helping Our People Endure)

Authors: Clayton Small, Native P.R.I.D.E. and Ernest Bighorn, Jr., Indian Development & Educational 

Alliance 

Date: Revised 2010

Web link: http://www.nativeprideus.org/programs.html 

Description: This suicide prevention program is designed specifically for Native American youth and 

incorporates Native American culture, traditions, spirituality, ceremonies, and humor. It uses a strengthsbased model as well as provides suicide awareness. All the students in the school or a grade must 

participate in a 3-day training. Then they are involved in developing and implementing a strategic action 

plan with activities related to suicide, depression, trauma, violence, and substance abuse. The activities 

include organizing a Native Youth Leadership Council, conducting educational presentations and other 

prevention activities, and establishing support groups and talking circles. The youth also provide support 

to their peers and assist them with getting help for mental health issues. The student activities are 

facilitated by teachers, counselors, social workers, spiritual leaders, and youth already experienced in 

helping their peers. All of these facilitators are given a 1 – to 2-day training.

Cost: Training is $1,000/day plus expenses. Student and trainer manuals are $40 each.

Review: A SAMHSA “promising cultural-based practice.” Indian Health Service national award 2009 for 

successful suicide prevention program for Indian Country.
202 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Natural Helpers

Author: Comprehensive Health Education Foundation

Date: Revised 1997

Web link: http://store.discoveryeducation.com/product/show/50420

Description: In this program for students in grades 6–12, the peer leaders are selected by other students and are 

trained to help their peers with a variety of issues. They listen to their peers and assist them in getting help from 

adults. The program also helps improve the school environment through increasing the connections between 

students, school staff, and the community. The goals of the program are for the peer leaders to help their peers, 

take good care of themselves, and contribute to a safe and supportive school environment. Some schools use 

this program as part of their suicide prevention efforts and give the peer leaders specific training in suicide 

prevention along with other issues.

Cost: $595

Sources of Strength

Author: Mark LoMurray

Date: Revised 2010

Web link: http://www.sourcesofstrength.org

Description: This comprehensive program promotes mental wellness using trained peer leaders and adult 

advisors to improve social norms in school, community, and faith-based environments with middle 

school, high school, and college level curricula. The peer leaders engage teens to deliver “Hope, Help, 

and Strength” messages, which emphasize eight protective factors or “Sources of Strength.” They use 

personal conversations with trusted adults and friends, classroom presentations, audio announcements, 

posters, videos, the Internet, and text messaging. Randomized evaluation showed peer leaders increased: 

knowledge of protective factors among students, school engagement, and perceptions of adult support, 

especially among students with a history of suicide ideation. This program has been evaluated in 

underserved communities including rural and urban, and with Native American, Caucasian, AfricanAmerican, and Latino students. 

Cost: $3,500–$5,000 per school, which includes materials, staff training, peer training, and monthly 

technical assistance to implement the peer action phase.

Reviews: Best Practices Registry http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/bpr/SourcesofStrength.pdf

Also, Wyman, P. A., Brown, H., LoMurray, M., Schmeelk-Cone, K., Petrova, M., Yu, Q.,...Wang, W. 

(2010). An outcome evaluation of the Sources of Strength suicide prevention program delivered by 

adolescent peer leaders in high schools. American Journal of Public Health, 100, 1653–1661.
203 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Students for Students: A Youth-Centered Suicide Prevention Program

Author: Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 

Date: Revised 2010

Web link: http://ycsp.wordpress.com/program-overview/

Description: This youth-driven suicide prevention program has the goal of building a culture of respect 

and support in the school and a safety net for students. The peer leaders, who are the core of the program, 

are trained to increase awareness of mental health issues affecting their peers and to talk with peers who 

may be at risk for depression, self-harm, or suicide about getting help. The peer leaders meet weekly with 

mental health clinicians to discuss students who are in distress and develop individual plans to enable 

each of those students to get help. Students who are at moderate risk are given four individual counseling 

sessions with a mental health clinician in the program to help them develop skills to cope with stress and 

prevent depression. The peer leaders also co-teach a class and organize a schoolwide event each year to 

increase awareness of mental health issues, stress, depression, and suicide prevention. 

Cost: Contact Glenn Saxe at glenn.saxe@nyumc.org for information and to obtain a copy of the 

implementation manual. 

Information Sheets and Web Pages

Teens (SPRC Customized Information Series)

Author: Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC), Education Development Center, Inc. 

Date: 2005

Web link: http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/Teens.pdf

Description: This Web page is designed to help teens understand why some of their peers may want to hurt 

themselves, how to recognize the warning signs of suicide, and what to do if a suicide attempt is suspected. 

Information for Teens: Keeping Yourself Safe

Author: Needham Suicide Prevention Coalition

Date: 2007

Web link: http://www.needhamacts.org/teens.htm

Description: This section of the Needham Acts Web site contains information sheets for teens that 

respond to key questions teens might ask when they are concerned with whether they or someone they 

know may be suicidal. It includes information on the issue of confidentiality when a young person is 

suicidal and has a brief questionnaire to help determine if a young person has a drug or alcohol problem.
204 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

Reach Out

Author: Inspire USA Foundation 

Date: 2010

Web link: http://us.reachout.com/

Description: Although primarily geared toward preventing suicide and self-harm, Reach Out provides an 

online environment where a wide variety of youth behavioral health issues are addressed. Youth can find 

information, share their stories, discuss issues of concern, ask questions, support peers, and connect with 

support services. Content is delivered through a range of media platforms including blogs, MySpace, 

video games, SMS, Podcasts, digital storytelling, and moderated discussions via online communities. 

Information is based on research and written by young people to ensure that the messages are meaningful 

to and resonate with youth. Reach Out is part of the WeCanHelpUs Campaign. Schools can encourage 

students to use Reach Out by displaying posters and Web site banners with information about the Web 

site. For posters, call 1-877-SAMHSA-7 or go online to: http://store.samhsa.gov/product/We-Can-HelpUs/ADC10-SUICIDEP. Go to http://psacentral.adcouncil.org for Web site banners.

Teen Information Sheets

Author: Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program, Maine

Date: 2006

Web link: http://www.maine.gov/suicide/youth/index.htm

Description: This is a series of Web pages containing basic information about suicide prevention and 

other related problems, and how to live a healthy lifestyle; stories from youth who have struggled with 

suicidal thoughts or behavior or a suicide death by someone close to them; a quiz on information about 

suicide; and information on how to get involved in youth suicide prevention.

Teen Information Sheets

Author: Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide, New Jersey

Date: 2009

Web link: http://www.sptsnj.org/teens

Description: This Web page validates feelings teens may be experiencing regarding suicide and 

encourages them to seek help and discuss these feelings with a trusted adult. It includes information on 

what to do when a friend is talking about suicide and when a friend dies by suicide.
205 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

SCREENING PROGRAM

TeenScreen School and Communities (formerly Columbia University TeenScreen 

Program)

Author: Columbia University

Date: 2005

Web link: http://www.teenscreen.org/programs/schools-communities/

Description: This is a voluntary mental health and suicide risk screening program for young people. It uses 

evidence-based mental health checkup questionnaires for teens ages 11–18. Schools can choose from one of 

the following two tests: (1) Columbia Health Screen (CHS), a 14-item paper and pen questionnaire and (2) 

Diagnostic Predictive Scales (DPS), a 52-item computerized questionnaire that screens for a wider variety of 

mental health disorders. Both questionnaires take approximately 10 minutes to complete. The screening may 

take place during a class period or after school. Teens who score positive are interviewed by an onsite mental 

health professional to determine if they need further evaluation and treatment. Those who score negative 

receive a debriefing interview with trained staff during which they can ask questions about the screening and 

request to talk with a clinician. Active parental permission is required for teens to participate.

Cost: Program materials, questionnaires, training, and technical assistance are free. There are costs 

involved in implementing TeenScreen, including staffing (screener, clinician, case manager) and supplies 

and equipment (computers, headphones, printers, photocopies). These costs vary by site.

Review: National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices http://www.nrepp.samhsa.gov/

ViewIntervention.aspx?id=150

SOS: Signs of Suicide 

(See description in Student Education and Skill-Building section)

VIDEO LIST

AAS-Recommended Videos

Author: American Association of Suicidology

Date: Continuously updated

Web link: http://www.suicidology.org/stats-and-tools/videos-suicide-prevention

Description: This annotated list of videos on suicide prevention targets primarily teens, but some of the 

videos are appropriate for adults too. Reviews are conducted by a multidisciplinary committee of AAS 

members and are rated as “Recommended,” “Recommended with Minor Reservation,” and “Not 

Recommended.”

Cost: List is free; video costs vary.
206 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND FEDERAL 

AGENCIES WITH RESOURCES AND 

INFORMATION ON ADOLESCENT SUICIDE 

PREVENTION

American Association of Suicidology (AAS) 

http://www.suicidology.org

AAS promotes research, public awareness programs, public education, and training for professionals and 

volunteers, and serves as a national clearinghouse for information on suicide, publishing and 

disseminating statistics, and suicide prevention resources. AAS hosts national annual conferences for 

professionals and survivors and serves as an accrediting body for crisis intervention programs. Its School 

Suicide Accreditation Program prepares school psychologists, social workers, counselors, nurses, and 

other school professionals to select and implement evidence-based programs in their schools. 

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) 

http://www.afsp.org

AFSP funds research to advance understanding of suicide and suicide prevention and pilot programs to 

prevent suicide. It offers educational resources and materials such as More Than Sad: Suicide Prevention 

Education for Teachers and Other School Personnel. With the Suicide Prevention Resource Center 

(SPRC), AFSP co-produces the Suicide Prevention Best Practices Registry (BPR), which examines the 

effectiveness of suicide prevention programs, including school-based prevention programs. AFSP’s 

network of local chapters can provide connections to local resources and services addressing suicide 

prevention as well as organizing awareness events such as “Out-of-the-Darkness” walks. AFSP’s Public 

Policy Division, SPAN USA, keeps track of State legislation related to suicide prevention training for 

school personnel.

Indian Health Service (IHS)

http://www.ihs.gov/NonMedicalPrograms/nspn

IHS’ Community Suicide Prevention Web site provides American Indian and Alaska Native communities 

with culturally appropriate information about best and promising practices, training opportunities, 

ongoing activities, potential partnerships, and other information regarding suicide prevention and 

intervention. This information can help communities and schools create or adapt suicide prevention 

programs that are tailored to their needs.

National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

http://www.nasponline.org/index.aspx

In addition to serving as the accrediting body for school psychologists and graduate education school 

psychology programs, NASP offers continuing education and has an extensive library of resources for 

school psychologists. A resource page for educators and school administrators includes helpful 

publications and links to organizations and products to promote mental wellness in students. NASP also 

has a National Emergency Assistance Team that provides consultation to schools and, in some cases, 

makes site visits.
207 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

http://www.nimh.nih.gov

The NIMH Web site has a section on suicide prevention that includes information and resources useful for 

a variety of audiences, including researchers, healthcare professionals, and consumers (see http://www.

nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention/index.shtml). NIMH also conducts research on youth 

suicide and youth suicide prevention. Updates on the research can be found through News from the Field: 

Research Findings of NIMH-funded Investigators, from EurekAlert! at http://search.eurekalert.org/e3/

query.html?qt=youth+suicide+prevention&charset=iso-8859-1&qc=ev3rel&rf=1&col=ev3rel

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/default.aspx

The Lifeline is a 24-hour, toll-free suicide prevention service available to anyone in suicidal crisis. Call 

1-800-273-TALK (8255). Callers are routed to the closest possible crisis center in their area. With a 

network of more than 140 crisis centers across the country, the Lifeline’s mission is to provide immediate 

assistance to anyone seeking mental health services. The Lifeline Web site features the Lifeline Gallery 

where survivors and attempt survivors can tell their personal stories of recovery, emphasizing that suicide 

is preventable and help is available. Lifeline informational materials, such as brochures, wallet cards, 

posters, and booklets featuring the Lifeline number, can make help accessible to troubled teens in a 

moment of crisis and should be a part of any school-based prevention program. 

Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC)

http://www.sprc.org

This SAMHSA-funded center serves primarily State-level agencies and coalitions, as well as State, tribal, 

and campus grantees, working on suicide prevention. It provides technical assistance, training, and a 

variety of resource materials. Among the useful resources are State Pages, which can alert schools to 

current State-sponsored plans, programs, and legislation; the American Indian/Alaska Native Suicide 

Prevention pages; the Weekly Spark, a current awareness newsletter that summarizes significant research 

findings and local, State, national, and international news concerning suicide; and the SPRC Online 

Library, which includes collections of resources focused on youth (http://www.sprc.org/search/library/

Youth?filters=type%3Alibrary_resource%20tid%3A256) and schools (http://www.sprc.org/search/library/

school?filters=type%3Alibrary_resource%20tid%3A35).

Customized information pages outline roles of specific populations in preventing suicide and include 

teens, teachers, and school health providers. In partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide 

Prevention, SPRC also co-produces the Best Practices Registry for Suicide Prevention. 

The Trevor Project

http://www.thetrevorproject.org/

The Trevor Project is a national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among 

lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. It provides a nationwide 24-hour, 

toll-free, crisis intervention telephone lifeline (1-866-488-7386); an online, social networking community 

for LGBTQ youth ages 13 through 24 and their friends and allies; age-appropriate educational programs 

for schools; and advocacy initiatives at the local, State and Federal levels. It also is a partner in the It Gets 

Better Project, which is a place where LGBT adults can share videos they make to help LGBT youth see 

how “happiness can be a reality in their future” (see http://www.itgetsbetterproject.com). All of the Trevor 

Project’s programs aim to provide a safe, supportive, and positive environment for everyone.
208 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/suicide/index.html for suicide prevention

http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pub/youth_suicide.html for youth suicide prevention

The CDC Web site has a section on suicide prevention that includes information sheets, resources, and 

links to a number of statistical databases. Among the CDC databases are WISQARS (Web-based Injury 

Statistics Query and Reporting System), YRBSS (Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System), National 

Violent Death Reporting System, and National Vital Statistics System. There is also a special section on 

the Web site focused on youth suicide prevention information and resources. The two CDC divisions that 

address youth suicide prevention are the Division of Adolescent and School Health and the Division of 

Violence Prevention.

U.S. Department of Education (ED)

http://www.ed.gov

ED serves as the grant-making agency for Federal education funding. Project SERV grants have been 

awarded to some school districts to restore the learning environment after student suicides. ED also 

collects and interprets data through its National Center for Education Statistics. Data products that include 

suicide are the annual Indicators of School Crime and Safety and the School-Associated Violent Deaths 

Surveillance Study (SAVD), an epidemiological study developed by the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC) in conjunction with ED and the U.S. Department of Justice. ED sponsors the ERIC 

database, a comprehensive collection of education literature that contains thousands of references to 

materials related to suicide and suicide prevention.

U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

http://www.samhsa.gov

SAMHSA funds and supports the National Lifeline and SPRC, and manages the Garrett Lee Smith grant 

program which funds State, territorial, and tribal programs to prevent suicide among youth. It has 

developed the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP), which reviews 

evidence of effectiveness for prevention programs on topics related to behavioral health, including 

suicide. There are at least six programs registered that are delivered in the school environment to prevent 

suicide. SAMHSA also sponsors several prevention campaigns. “The What a Difference a Friend Makes” 

campaign is geared toward young people and focuses on recovery from mental illness and reducing 

stigma. It emphasizes the role of friends in providing support and acceptance, a cornerstone of gatekeeper 

training. Another campaign called We Can Help Us, which was developed with input from teens, stresses 

that teens can become empowered to develop positive solutions and ways to get through tough times. 
HANDOUTS

SUICIDE PREVENTION: FACTS FOR SCHOOLS

“Every school in our district had a crisis plan if a staff member died of cancer or a 

student got in a car accident. But suicide . . . it wasn’t on my agenda,” said a 

superintendent. “We just did not think it was going to happen here. Unfortunately we 

learned the hard way. It was only after we had a [death in our school community by] 

suicide that we realized we needed to take a comprehensive approach to preventing a 

tragedy like this. And we realized we needed to involve everybody—the school staff, 

students, parents, and the community.”

—Superintendent in a New England School District

Many high school students reported that they had seriously considered 

suicide in the past year (CDC, 2010a). 

• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers (CDC, 2007).

• One out of every 53 high school students (1.9 percent) reported having made 

a suicide attempt that was serious enough to be treated by a doctor or a nurse 

(CDC, 2010a).

• The toll among some groups is even higher. For example, the suicide rate among 

15–19-year-old American Indian/Alaska Native males is 21⁄2 times higher than the 

overall rate for males in that age group (Heron, 2007).

FOUR REASONS WHY SCHOOLS SHOULD ADDRESS SUICIDE 

While everyone who cares for and about young people should be concerned with youth 

suicide, schools have special reasons for taking action to prevent these tragedies:

1. Maintaining a safe school environment is part of a school’s overall mission. There 

is an implicit contract between schools and parents about the safety of their 

children while they are in the school’s care. Fortunately, suicide prevention is 

consistent with many other efforts to protect student safety.

• Many activities designed to prevent violence, bullying, and the abuse of 

alcohol and other drugs can also reduce suicide risk among students (Epstein 

& Spirito, 2009).

• Programs that improve school climate and promote connectedness help 

reduce risk of suicide, violence, bullying, and substance abuse (Resnick et 

al., 1997; Blum, McNeely, & Rinehart, 2002).

• Efforts to promote safe schools and adult caring also help protect against 

suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among LGB youth (Eisenberg & 

Resnick, 2006).

• Some activities designed to prevent suicide and promote student mental 

health can reinforce the benefits of other student wellness programs.
2. Students’ mental health can affect their academic performance. Depression 

and other mental health issues can interfere with the ability to learn and affect 

academic performance. According to a 2009 survey (CDC, 2010b):

• Approximately 1 out of 2 high school students receiving grades of mostly 

D’s and F’s felt sad or hopeless. But only 1 out of 5 students receiving mostly 

A’s felt sad or hopeless. 

• 1 out of 5 high school students receiving grades of mostly D’s and F’s 

attempted suicide. Only 1 out of 25 who received grades of mostly A’s 

attempted suicide. 

3. A student suicide can significantly impact other students and the entire 

school community. Knowing what to do following a suicide is critical to helping 

students cope with the loss and prevent additional tragedies that may occur. 

Adolescents can be susceptible to suicide contagion (sometimes called the 

copycat effect). 

4. Schools have been sued for negligence for the following reasons (Doan, 

Roggenbaum, & Lazear, 2003; Juhnke, Granello, & Granello, 2011; Lieberman, 

2008–2009; Lieberman, Poland, & Cowan, 2006): 

• Failure to notify parents if their child appears to be suicidal

• Failure to get assistance for a student at risk of suicide 

• Failure to adequately supervise a student at risk

HOW SCHOOLS CAN HELP PREVENT SUICIDE

Suicide prevention experts recommend using a multifaceted approach in which the 

following components are implemented in a particular sequence:

• Protocols for helping students at risk of suicide

• Protocols for responding to suicide death

• Staff education training

• Parent education

• Student education

• Screening

Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools contains information about how these 

components can be implemented in your school. You can download this toolkit free of 

charge from http://store.samhsa.gov/product/SMA12-4669.

If you or someone you know is in a suicidal crisis, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)—

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
REFERENCES

Blum, R. W., McNeely, C., & Rinehart, P. M. (2002). Improving the odds: The untapped 

power of schools to improve the health of teens. Minneapolis: Center for Adolescent 

Health and Development, University of Minnesota. Retrieved from http://www.med.umn.

edu/peds/ahm/prod/groups/med/@pub/@med/documents/asset/med_21771.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2007). Web-based Injury Statistics Query 

and Reporting System (WISQARS) [online]. National Center for Injury Prevention and 

Control. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010a). Youth risk behavior surveillance—

United States, 2009. Surveillance Summaries. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 

59(SS–5). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss5905.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010b). Youth risk behavior surveillance—

United States, 2009. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/health_and_

academics/pdf/yrbs_slides_violence.ppt

Doan, J., Roggenbaum, S., & Lazear, K. (2003). Youth suicide prevention school-based 

guide—Issue brief 4: Administrative issues. Tampa, FL: Department of Child and Family 

Studies, Division of State and Local Support, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health 

Institute, University of South Florida. (FMHI Series Publication #218–4).

Eisenberg, M. E., & Resnick, M. D. (2006). Suicidality among gay, lesbian and bisexual 

youth: The role of protective factors. Journal of Adolescent Health, 39(5), 662–668.

Epstein, J. A., & Spirito, A. (2009). Risk factors for suicidality among a nationally 

representative sample of high school students. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 

39(3), 241–251.

Heron, M. P. (2007). Deaths: Leading causes for 2004. National Vital Statistics Reports, 

l56(5). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved from http://

www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_05.pdf

Juhnke, G. A., Granello, D. H., & Granello, P. F. (2011). Suicide, self-injury, and violence 

in the schools: Assessment, prevention, and intervention strategies. Hoboken, NJ: John 

Wiley & Sons.

Lieberman, R. (2008–2009). Legal lessons: Minimizing risk to districts. Well Aware: A 

Suicide Prevention Bulletin for Wyoming School Administrators, 1(1), 3.

Lieberman, R., Poland, S., & Cowan, K. (2006, October). Suicide prevention and 

intervention: Principal leadership, 11–15. Retrieved from http://www.nasponline.org/

resources/principals/Suicide%20Intervention%20in%20Secondary%20Schoools%20

NASSP%20Oct%202006.pdf

Resnick, M. D., Bearman, P. S., Blum, R. W., Bauman, K. E., Harris, K. M., Jones, J.,...

Udry, J. R. (1997). Protecting adolescents from harm. Findings from the National 

Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health. Journal of the American Medical Association, 

278(10), 823–832.

RISK FACTORS FOR YOUTH SUICIDE

Risk factors for suicide refer to personal or environmental characteristics that are 

associated with suicide. The environment includes the social and cultural environment as 

well as the physical environment. People affected by one or more of these risk factors 

may have a greater probability of suicidal behavior. Some risk factors cannot be 

changed—such as a previous suicide attempt—but they can be used to help identify 

someone who may be vulnerable to suicide.

There is no single, agreed-upon list of risk factors. The list below summarizes the risk 

factors identified by the most recent research. 

Behavioral Health Issues/Disorders

• Depressive disorders

• Substance abuse or dependence (alcohol and other drugs)

• Conduct/disruptive behavior disorders

• Other disorders (e.g., anxiety disorders, personality disorders)

• Previous suicide attempts

• Self-injury (without intent to die)

• Genetic/biological vulnerability (mainly abnormalities in serotonin functioning, 

which can lead to some of the behavioral health problems listed above)

Note: The presence of multiple behavioral health disorders (especially the combination of 

mood and disruptive behavior problems or substance use) increases suicide risk.

Personal Characteristics

• Hopelessness

• Low self-esteem

• Loneliness

• Social alienation and isolation, lack of belonging

• Low stress and frustration tolerance

• Impulsivity

• Risk taking, recklessness

• Poor problem-solving or coping skills

• Perception of self as very underweight or very overweight

• Capacity to self-injure

• Perception of being a burden (e.g., to family and friends)

Adverse/Stressful Life Circumstances

• Interpersonal difficulties or losses (e.g., breaking up with a girlfriend 

or boyfriend)
• Disciplinary or legal problems

• Bullying, either as victim or perpetrator

• School or work problems (e.g., actual or perceived difficulties in school or work, 

not attending school or work, not going to college)

• Physical, sexual, and/or psychological abuse

• Chronic physical illness or disability

• Exposure to suicide of peer

Risky Behaviors

• Alcohol or drug use

• Delinquency

• Aggressive/violent behavior

• Risky sexual behavior

Family Characteristics

• Family history of suicide or suicidal behavior

• Parental mental health problems

• Parental divorce

• Death of parent or other relative

• Problems in parent-child relationship (e.g., feelings of detachment from parents, 

inability to talk with family members, interpersonal conflicts, family financial 

problems, family violence or abuse, parenting style either underprotective or 

overprotective and highly critical)

Environmental Factors

• Negative social and emotional environment at school, including negative 

attitudes, beliefs, feelings, and interactions of staff and students

• Lack of acceptance of differences

• Expression and acts of hostility

• Lack of respect and fair treatment

• Lack of respect for the cultures of all students

• Limitations in school physical environment, including lack of safety and security

• Weapons on campus

• Poorly lit areas conducive to bullying and violence

• Limited access to mental health care

• Access to lethal means, particularly in the home

• Exposure to other suicides, leading to suicide contagion 

• Exposure to stigma and discrimination against students based on sexual 

orientation; gender identity; race and ethnicity; disability; or physical 

characteristics, such as overweight. Stigma and discrimination lead to:
» Victimization and bullying by others, lack of support from and rejection 

by family and peers, dropping out of school, lack of access to work 

opportunities and health care

» Internalized homophobia, stress from being different and not accepted, and 

stress around disclosure of being gay, which can lead to low self-esteem, 

social isolation, and decreased help-seeking

» Stress due to the need to adapt to a different culture, especially reconciling 

differences between one’s family and the majority culture, which can lead to 

family conflict and rejection

The contents of this handout are taken from Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High 

Schools, available at http://store.samhsa.gov/product/SMA12-4669.

REFERENCES

Beautrais, A. L. (2003). Life course factors associated with suicidal behaviors in young 

people. American Behavioral Scientist, 46(9), 1137.

Berman, A. L., Jobes, D. A., & Silverman, M. M. (2006). Adolescent suicide: Assessment 

and intervention (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Campo, J. V. (2009). Youth suicide prevention: Does access to care matter? Current 

Opinions in Pediatrics, 21(5), 628–634.

Doan, J., Roggenbaum, S., & Lazear, K. (2003). Youth suicide prevention school-based 

guide—Issue brief 2: School climate. Tampa, FL: Department of Child and Family 

Studies, Division of State and Local Support, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health 

Institute, University of South Florida. (FMHI Series Publication #218–2)

Eaton, D. K., Lowry, R., Brener, N. D., Galuska, D. A., & Crosby, A. E. (2005). 

Associations of body mass index and perceived weight with suicide ideation and suicide 

attempts among US high school students. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 

159(6), 513–519.

Epstein, J. A., & Spirito, A. (2009). Risk factors for suicidality among a nationally 

representative sample of high school students. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 

39(3), 241–251.

Gould, M. S., Greenberg, T., Velting, D. M., & Shaffer, D. (2003). Youth suicide risk and 

preventive interventions: A review of the past 10 years. Journal of the American Academy 

of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 42(4), 386–405.

Gutierrez, P. M., & Osman, A. (2008). Adolescent suicide: An integrated approach to the 

assessment of risk and protective factors. DeKalb, IL: Northern Illinois University Press.

Joiner, T. E., (2009). Suicide prevention in schools as viewed through the interpersonalpsychological theory of suicidal behavior. School Psychology Review, 38(2), 244–248.

Lofthouse, N., & Yage-Schweller, J. (2009). Nonsuicidal self-injury and suicide risk 

among adolescents. Current Opinions in Pediatrics, 21(5), 641–645.
Martin, G., Richardson, A. S., Bergen, H. A., Roeger, L., & Allison, S. (2005). Perceived 

academic performance, self-esteem and locus of control as indicators of need for 

assessment of adolescent suicide risk: Implications for teachers. Journal of Adolescence, 

28(1), 75–87.

Miller, D. N., & Eckert, T. L. (2009). Youth suicidal behavior: An introduction and 

overview. School Psychology Review, 38(2), 153–167.

Suicide Prevention Resource Center. (2008). Suicide risk and prevention for lesbian, gay, 

bisexual, and transgender youth. Newton, MA: Education Development Center, Inc. 

Retrieved from http://www.sprc.org/library/SPRC_LGBT_Youth.pdf

Swahn, M. H., Reynolds, M. R., Tice, M., Miranda-Pierangeli, M. C., Jones, C. R., & 

Jones, I. R. (2009). Perceived overweight, BMI, and risk for suicide attempts: Findings 

from the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Journal of Adolescent Health, 45(3), 292–295.
PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR YOUTH SUICIDE

Protective factors are personal or environmental characteristics that reduce the 

probability of suicide. Protective factors can buffer the effects of risk factors. The 

capacity to cope positively with the effects of risk factors is called “resilience.” Actions 

by school staff to enhance protective factors are an essential element of a suicide 

prevention effort. Strengthening these factors also protects students from other risks, 

including violence, substance abuse, and academic failure.

There is no single, agreed-upon list of protective factors. The list below summarizes the 

protective factors identified by the most recent research. 

Individual Characteristics and Behaviors

• Psychological or emotional well-being, positive mood 

• Emotional intelligence: the ability to perceive, integrate into thoughts, 

understand, and manage one’s emotions 

• Adaptable temperament 

• Internal locus of control 

• Strong problem-solving skills 

• Coping skills, including conflict resolution and nonviolent handling of disputes 

• Self-esteem

• Frequent, vigorous physical activity or participation in sports 

• Spiritual faith or regular church attendance 

• Cultural and religious beliefs that affirm life and discourage suicide 

• Resilience: ongoing or continuing sense of hope in the face of adversity

• Frustration tolerance and emotional regulation 

• Body image, care, and protection 

Family and Other Social Support

• Family support and connectedness to family, closeness to or strong relationship 

with parents, and parental involvement 

• Close friends or family members, a caring adult, and social support

• Parental pro-social norms, that is, youth know that parents disapprove of 

antisocial behavior such as beating someone up or drinking alcohol 

• Family support for school 
School

• Positive school experiences 

• Part of a close school community 

• Safe environment at school (especially for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender 

youth) 

• Adequate or better academic achievement 

• A sense of connectedness to the school 

• A respect for the cultures of all students

Mental Health and Healthcare Providers and Caregivers

• Access to effective care for mental, physical, and substance abuse disorders 

• Easy access to care and support through ongoing medical and mental health 

relationships 

Access to Means

• Restricted access to firearms: guns locked or unloaded, ammunition stored or 

locked 

• Safety barriers for bridges, buildings, and other jumping sites 

• Restricted access to medications (over-the-counter and prescriptions)

• Restricted access to alcohol (since there is an increased risk of suicide by 

firearms if the victim is drinking at the time)

The contents of this handout are taken from Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High 

Schools, available at http://store.samhsa.gov/product/SMA12-4669.

REFERENCES

Bearman, P. S., & Moody, J. (2004). Suicide and friendships among American 

adolescents. American Journal of Public Health, 94(1), 89–95.

Beautrais, A. L. (2003). Life course factors associated with suicidal behaviors in young 

people. American Behavioral Scientist, 46(9), 1137–1156.

Beautrais, A., Gibb, S., Fergusson, D., Horwood, L. J., & Larkin, G. L. (2009). Removing 

bridge barriers stimulates suicides: An unfortunate natural experiment. Australian and 

New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 43(6), 495–497.

Berman, A. L., Jobes, D. A., & Silverman, M. M. (2006). Adolescent suicide: Assessment 

and intervention (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Birckmayer, J., & Hemenway, D. (1999). Minimum age drinking laws and youth suicide, 

1970–1990. American Journal of Public Health, 89, 1365–1368.

Borowsky, I. W., Resnick, M. D., Ireland, M., & Blum, R. W. (1999). Suicide attempts 

among American Indian and Alaska Native youth: Risk and protective factors. Archives 

of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 153(6), 573–580.
Borowsky, I. W., Ireland, M., & Resnick, M. D. (2001). Adolescent suicide attempts: 

Risks and protectors. Pediatrics, 31, 489–493.

Brent, D. A., Perper, J. A., & Allman, D. J. (1987). Alcohol, firearms, and suicide among 

youth: Temporal trends in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 1960 to1983. Journal of the 

American Medical Association, 257(24), 3369–3372.

Cha, C., & Nock, M. (2009). Emotional intelligence is a protective factor for suicidal 

behavior. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 48(4), 

422–430.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2009). School connectedness: 

Strategies for increasing protective factors among youth. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services.

Colucci, E., & Martin, G. (2008). Religion and spirituality along the suicidal path. 

Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 38 (2), 229–244.

Education Development Center, Inc. (Revised 2008). Assessing and managing suicide 

risk: Core competencies for mental health professionals. Newton, MA: Suicide 

Prevention Resource Center, Education Development Center, Inc. in collaboration with 

American Association of Suicidology.

Eisenberg, M. E., & Resnick, M. D. (2006). Suicidality among gay, lesbian and bisexual 

youth: The role of protective factors. Journal of Adolescent Health, 39(5), 662–668.

Flouri, E., & Buchanan, A. (2002). The protective role of parental involvement in 

adolescent suicide. Crisis, 23, 1–17. 

Goldsmith, S. K. (2001). Risk factors for suicide: Summary of a workshop. Washington 

DC: National Academy Press. National Academy of Sciences. Retrieved from http://

books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10215&page=18

Grossman, D. C., Mueller, B. A., Riedy, D., Dowd, D. M., Villaveces, A., Prodzinski, 

J.,...Harruff, R. (2005). Gun storage practices and risk of youth suicide and unintentional 

firearm injuries. Journal of the American Medical Association, 293(6), 707–714.

Gutierrez, P. M., & Osman, A. (2008). Adolescent suicide: An integrated approach to the 

assessment of risk and protective factors. DeKalb, IL: Northern Illinois University Press.

Hall-Lande, J. A., Eisenberg, M. E., Christenson, S. L., & Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2007). 

Social isolation, psychological health, and protective factors in adolescence. Adolescence, 

42, 265–286.

Hawton, K., Simkin, S., Deeks, J., Cooper, J., Johnston, A., Waters K.,...Simpson, K. 

(2004). United Kingdom legislation on analgesic packs: Before and after study of long 

term effect on poisonings. British Medical Journal, 329(7474), 1076.

Kidd, S., Henrich, C. C., Brookmeyer, K. A., Davidson, L., King, R. A., & Shahar, G. 

(2006). The social context of adolescent suicide attempts: Interactive effects of parent, 

peer, and school social relations. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 36(4), 386–395. 
King, C., & Merchant, C. R. (2008). Social and interpersonal factors relating to 

adolescent suicidality: A review of the literature. Archives of Suicide Research, 12(3), 

181–196.

Pettingell, S. L., Bearinger, L. H., Skay, C. L., Resnick, M. D., Potthoff, S. J., & 

Eichhorn, J. (2008). Protecting urban American Indian young people from suicide. 

American Journal of Health Behavior, 32(5), 465–476.

Randell, B. P., Wang, W., Herting, J. R., & Eggert, L. L. (2006). Family factors predicting 

categories of suicide risk. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 15(3), 255–270.

Sharaf, A. Y., Thompson, E. A., & Walsh, E. (2009). Protective effects of self-esteem and 

family support on suicide risk behaviors among at-risk adolescents. Journal of Child and 

Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 22(3), 160–168.

Taliaferro, L. A., Rienzo, B. A., Miller, M. D., Pigg, R. M., & Dodd, V. J. (2008). High 

school youth and suicide risk: Exploring protection afforded through physical activity and 

sport participation. Journal of School Health, 78(10), 545–553.
RECOGNIZING AND RESPONDING TO WARNING 

SIGNS FOR SUICIDE

Warning signs are indications that someone may be in danger of suicide, either immediately 

or in the near future. 

Warning Signs for Suicide Prevention is a consensus statement developed by an expert 

working group brought together by the American Association of Suicidology. The group 

organized the warning signs by degree of risk, and emphasized the importance of including 

clear and specific direction about what to do if someone exhibits warning signs.

This consensus statement describes the general warning signs of suicide. Warning signs differ 

by age group, culture, and even individual. 

The recent advent of social media has provided another outlet in which warning signs may be 

exhibited. The differences in how and where warning signs may be exhibited demonstrate the 

importance of adapting gatekeeper training for the age group and cultural communities with whom 

the gatekeepers will be interacting.

Warning Signs for Suicide and Corresponding Actions

Seek immediate help from a mental health provider, 9-1-1 or your local emergency provider, or 

the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) when you hear or see any 

one of these behaviors: 

• Someone threatening to hurt or 

kill themselves

• Someone looking for ways to kill 

themselves: seeking access to pills, 

weapons, or other means

• Someone talking or writing about 

death, dying, or suicide, when these 

actions are out of the ordinary for 

the person

Seek help by contacting a mental health professional or calling 1-800-273-TALK for a referral 

if you witness, hear, or see anyone exhibiting one or more of these behaviors:

• Hopelessness—expresses no reason 

for living, no sense of purpose in life

• Rage, anger, seeking revenge

• Recklessness or risky behavior, 

seemingly without thinking

• Expressions of feeling trapped—like 

there’s no way out

• Increased alcohol or drug use

• Withdrawal from friends, family, 

or society

• Anxiety, agitation, inability to sleep, 

or constant sleep

• Dramatic mood changes

• No reason for living, no sense of 

purpose in life

If you or someone you know is in a suicidal crisis, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)—

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

The contents of this handout are taken from Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools, 

available at http://store.samhsa.gov/product/SMA12-4669.

REFERENCE

Rudd, M. D., Berman, A. L., Joiner, T. E. Jr., Nock, M. K., Silverman, M. M., Mandrusiak, M., 

. . . Witte, T. (2006). Warning signs for suicide: Theory, research, and clinical applications. 

Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 36(3), 255–262. Retrieved from http://www.wjh.

harvard.edu/~nock/nocklab/Rudd%20et%20al_warning%20signs%20for%20suicide_2006.pdf

SUICIDE PREVENTION: FACTS FOR PARENTS

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS EXPERIENCE UNIQUE CHALLENGES

High school can be a rewarding time for young people. But for some students, it can also be 

emotionally difficult, especially in 9th grade during the transition to high school and again in 

12th grade during the transition out of high school. 

The stresses of high school and the mental and emotional stage of adolescence can 

combine with risk factors for suicide, such as depression, and increase the risk of suicide 

for some teens. Parents and school staff can help identify students at risk of suicide and 

help them get treatment before a tragedy occurs.

Many high school students reported that they had seriously considered 

suicide in the past year.

• One out of every 53 high school students (1.9 percent) reported having made a 

suicide attempt that was serious enough to be treated by a doctor or a nurse.

• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers.

• The toll among some groups, such as Native Americans, is even higher.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

WHY HIGH SCHOOLS ADDRESS SUICIDE

• Administrators and staff care about the well-being of their students.

• Maintaining a safe and secure school environment is part of a school’s 

overall mission.

• Depression and other mental health issues can interfere with children’s ability to 

learn and affect their academic performance.

Although few suicides take place on high school campuses, students spend much of the 

day in school. This puts high schools in a position to identify and help students who may 

be at risk for suicide and related behavioral health issues.

PREVENTING SUICIDE CAN PREVENT OTHER BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS

Students at risk of suicide may also be at risk of other problem behaviors, such as 

violence and bullying, and substance abuse. Reducing the risk of suicide can help reduce 

the likelihood of these other behaviors.
Parents can help protect their children from suicide risk by:

• Maintaining a supportive and involved relationship with their sons and daughters

• Understanding the warning signs and risk factors for suicide

• Knowing where to turn for help 

HOW SCHOOLS CAN HELP PREVENT SUICIDE

Experts recommend that schools use an approach to suicide prevention that includes 

the following:

• Identifying students at possible risk of suicide and referring them to 

appropriate services

• Responding appropriately to a suicide death

• Providing training and suicide awareness education for staff 

• Educating parents regarding suicide risk and mental health promotion 

• Educating and involving students in mental health promotion and suicide 

prevention efforts 

• Screening students for suicide risk

You should encourage your high school to implement some or all of these strategies to 

prevent suicide and protect the well-being of your children. You can work with the school 

on these important efforts as well as use the school as a resource for help with your 

child’s needs.

The contents of this handout are taken from Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High 

Schools, available at http://store.samhsa.gov/product/SMA12-4669.
CONTRIBUTORS

229 | PREVENTING SUICIDE: A HIGH SCHOOL TOOLKIT

CONTRIBUTORS

CONTRIBUTORS TO THE TOOLKIT 

The following people contributed their expertise and time to the development of this toolkit:

SPARK staff:

• NASMHPD: Robert Glover, Christy Lentz

• EDC: Jerry Reed, Christine Miara, Laurie 

Rosenblum, Elizabeth Frisco, Marc Posner, 

Jennifer Smith, Phillip Rodgers, Jeannette 

Hudson, Nancy Davis, EDC Creative Services

• NRI: Noel Mazade, Michael Lane

Expert Workgroup members, the majority of whom also provided content review:

• Donna Amundson, New Jersey Sudden and 

Traumatic Loss Coalition

• Dana Carr, U.S. Department of Education, 

Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools

• Jason Charland, Maine Youth Suicide 

Prevention Program

• John Draper, National Suicide 

Prevention Lifeline

• Fran Gatlin, Fairfax County Schools, Virginia

• Julie Goldstein-Grumet, Washington, DC, 

Department of Mental Health

• Madelyn Gould, Columbia University/New 

York State Psychiatric Institute 

• Deborah Haber, Education Development 

Center, Inc., National Center for 

Mental Health Promotion and Youth 

Violence Prevention

• Isadora Hare, U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services, Health Resources and 

Services Administration

• Patsy Hawk, Rosebud Reservation, 

South Dakota

• Marci Hertz, U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services, Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention

• Laura Hurwitz, National Assembly on 

School-Based Health Care

• Richard Lieberman, Los Angeles Unified 

School District, Suicide Prevention Services

• Richard McKeon, U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services, Substance Abuse and 

Mental Health Services Administration 

• Beverly Pringle, U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services, National Institute of 

Mental Health

• Alan Rasmussen, Rappahannock–Rapidan 

Community Services Board

• Philip Rodgers, American Foundation for 

Suicide Prevention

• Cecilia Spotted Tail, Rosebud Reservation, 

South Dakota 

• Maureen Underwood, Society for the 

Prevention of Teen Suicide

• Rose Weahkee, U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services, Indian Health Service

Additional organizations and schools that participated in interviews and product testing and provided 

some of the examples and ideas in the sidebars throughout the toolkit:

• Bow High School—NH, Bucksport High 

School—ME, Chemung County Schools—

NY, Chicago School District—IL, Essex 

High School—VT, Gallup High School—

NM, Gloucester School District—MA, 

Lincoln High School—OR, Los Angeles 

Unified School District—CA, Madison High 

School—ME, Morse High School—ME, 

Moultonborough Academy—NH, Palo 

Alto School District—CA, Pojoaque High 

School—NM, Portland High School—ME, 

QPR Institute—WA, Riverside Community 

Care—MA, RSU 18 High School—ME, 

Schenectady City Schools—NY, South 

Boston High School—MA, Talbot County 

Schools—MD, Washington, DC School 

District—DC, Windham High School—ME 

• National organizations: American School 

Health Association, National Association 

of School Boards, National Association of 

School Psychologists, National Association of 

State Boards of Education
SMA-12-4669

First printed 2012