Prevention Strategies

Primary Intervention. What can be done to stop a crisis from happening through eliminating hazards or modifying situation:

• to detect suicidal students
• to assess the severity of their suicidal thoughts and/or actions
• to notify the parents
• to secure needed supervision and services for the students
• to assure the school's main function is to identify a course of action, not be a treatment facility

What to Look For

1. Verbal signs. "I wish I were dead – No one cares if I live or die – Things would be better if I weren't here."
2. Behavior clues. Alcohol or drug abuse, previous attempts, giving away possessions, making a will, sudden change in behavior (e.g. quiet student becomes talkative, friendly student becomes quiet), significant drop in grades, risk-taking behavior resulting in accidents or injuries.
3. Situational clues. End of serious relationship, divorce or death of a parent, family financial difficulties, moving to new location (other stresses among family members).
4. Syndromatic clues. Social isolation, depression, disorientation, changes in sleeping and/or eating patterns, dissatisfaction (constant complaining, helpless or hopeless feelings).

How to Help

1. Listen and hear. Avoid false reassurances that "everything will be okay." Never demean suicidal expressions. Don't be judgmental or moralizing.
2. Be supportive. Communicate concern for the person.
3. Be sensitive. Take any suicidal complaint seriously even if expressed in a calm voice. When the person speaks of clear-cut self-destructive plans, the situation is usually much more serious.
4. Don't be mislead into ignoring suicide signals. Tell others. It may be necessary to betray a secret to save a life.
5. Encourage students to look out for each other and to seek help for a friend if that friend won't seek it out on their own.
6. Stay with a suicidal person if there seems to be immediate danger. Call on whoever is needed. Do not try to handle everything alone.

Secondary Intervention. Provides immediate assistance to an individual or group in handling a crisis with the purpose of minimizing the effects of the suicidal crisis.

Response Procedures

1. Contain the story and protect the privacy of the family. Do not refer to the death as a "suicide" and move to contain the story until it has been verified.
2. Direct the person who brings the message not to repeat it to anyone. Explain that the information has not been verified. Even if it is correct, it is important that the announcement come from the principal in an appropriate and official manner.
3. Instruct secretaries and others in the office not to repeat anything that has been said or to give out any information until the report has been verified. Do not allow news of the incident to get out of hand.
4. Verify the fact that the reported death did occur. Do not refer to the death as a suicide. Do everything possible to verify the facts of the case. Principals make the calls – to the police or coroner – if necessary. Hospitals usually will not give out information. Do not call the home.
5. If the death is verified, notify the Superintendent (main administration officials).
6. Convene the school crisis team to assess the situation and implement the appropriate plan of action.
7. When a suicide is reported, hold a faculty meeting as soon as possible. If it has to wait until the end of the day, give notice of the meeting early. As soon as the facts are known, prepare a brief written announcement to be distributed to teachers, which they can read to students simultaneously throughout the school.
8. Refer all inquiries for information from outside the school to the district's director of public information. One person from that office will serve as spokesperson for the district. Do not allow reporters to interview any student or staff member in the school or on the school grounds.
9. Contact resources (school counselors or school social workers) to work with students, parent(s) and staff, if needed. Contact the Assistant Superintendent for Pupil and Parent Services for specific referrals.
10. Do not glorify the death in any way. Do not fly the school flag at half-mast. Do not observe a moment of silence in school. Do not have a memorial service at the school.
11. Try to get things back to normal as soon as possible. Be sensitive to the fact that certain students may have been profoundly affected by the death. These students still need special help, but don't let it become a "contagious action." Minimize the possibility that other students may imitate behavior and take their own lives.