September is Suicide Prevention Month. ESSER is funding several suicide prevention supports in our schools, including Signs of Suicide (SOS) screening for all of our 7th graders (with guardians’ informed consent), which is a collaborative effort between our district’s mental health professionals and each middle school’s counseling team.  

Here is a description of the SOS program from the Suicide Prevention Resource Center’s website: “Through a video and guided discussion, students learn to identify warning signs of suicide and depression in a single class period. At the end of the session, students complete a seven-question screening for depression (anonymous or signed – the school can decide) to further encourage help-seeking and connect students at risk with trusted adults. The curriculum raises awareness about behavioral health and encourages students to ACT (Acknowledge, Care, Tell) when worried about themselves or their peers.”   

Related supports include a crisis counselor, and a district-level mental health administrator, who is developing systems and training materials for school administrators, school psychologists, school counselors, school social workers, and other mental health professionals on Threat Assessment best practices.   

Teen Suicide Prevention Video for School Personnel - YouTube