Suicide Prevention Resources

For Parents: Not My Kid…What Every Parent Should Know is a video to help parents and other adults communicate with children and identify when a child might need help.

For Educators: Making Educators Partners in Youth Suicide Prevention is a free online interactive training program that fulfills state-mandated suicide prevention training.


For Teens: www.sptsusa.org offers suicide prevention information and resources.

Guidelines for district staff members:

It is mandatory to take appropriate action if a student makes comments, threatens, or uses any action to threaten suicide.

  • Locate appropriate help immediately.

  • Notify parents immediately. Discuss with parents a course of action.

  • Instruct someone to stay with the suicidal person in a place separate from others and try to keep them calm until professional help arrives.

  • DO NOT LEAVE THEM ALONE!

  • Staff with your Administrator, Counselor, and/or School Psychologist and if appropriate call:

    • Police 911

    • GLMH (Grand Lake Mental Health Center) crisis unit: 1-800-722-3611

    • Mental Health Professional Counselor the student is currently seeing

  • A School Psychologist or GLMH can come out immediately and provide crisis service to determine if a student should be placed inpatient or needs to receive outpatient counseling. A GLMH therapist can see any child in crisis without parental consent or if a parent cannot be reached. They will attempt to contact the guardian and follow up with the family the next day to make sure the student is stable.

  • Notify your Administrator of the situation.

WAYS TO HELP A SUICIDAL PERSON

  • Be nonjudgmental. Do not debate the issues of suicide.

  • Offer empathy, not sympathy.

  • Do not offer empty words of reassurance.

  • Do not be sworn to secrecy; seek support.

  • Remove available methods of suicide when possible.

  • Encourage the person in crisis to seek professional help.

  • Take action. Know where help is available.

  • Take every suicide threat, comment, or act seriously.

  • At least one person needs to stay with the student, appoint someone to call the parents, someone to call GLMH and or the Police if needed.

  • Have someone document every action you have taken in the circumstances.

  • Make sure parents follow up with the appropriate intervention and if parents refuse to help their student then you need to make a referral to the police department and child welfare.