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Youth Suicide Prevention:

1. Youth Suicide Prevention:. Understanding & Articulating the Need. Is There a Need? 3 rd leading cause of death in adolescence 2 nd leading cause of death in college students 50-200 attempts for every completion Almost 7% of high school students report making a suicide attempt

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Youth Suicide Prevention:

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  2. Youth Suicide Prevention: • Understanding & Articulating the Need

  3. Is There a Need? 3rd leading cause of death in adolescence 2nd leading cause of death in college students 50-200 attempts for every completion Almost 7% of high school students report making a suicide attempt Over 14% of high school students report suicidal thoughts

  4. In Simpler Numbers… EVERY Year- approximately 10 suicides for every 100,000 youth EVERY Day- there are approximately 11 youth suicides EVERY 2 hours and 11 minutes, a person under the age of 25 dies by suicide

  5. The Rationale for School Prevention Programs • “School systems are not responsible for meeting every need of their students but when the need directly affects learning, the school must meet the challenge.” • Carnegie Task Force on Education, 1985

  6. Are School Programs Safe?

  7. Characteristics of Sound Programs • Do not sensationalize or glamorize suicide • Do not use ‘attempters’ as part of program • Reinforce protective buffers against suicide • Acknowledge limitations

  8. The LIFELINES Program Goal: • To develop school-based expertise and • supports within the context of a competent • school community for responding to the problem • of adolescent suicidal behavior

  9. Parents Faculty and Staff School Leaders Students A Competent School Community:

  10. Role of Parents Understand school’s policies and procedures Understand Suicide Prevention curriculum Recognize signs of trouble in their children Know what to do and where to go for resources Understand how to respond to other at-risk youth

  11. Curriculum Learning Objectives To present relevant facts about suicide To alert students to signs of suicide risk in peers and encourage serious response To outline ways to respond to troubled peers To demonstrate positive attitudes about intervention and help-seeking To identify resources

  12. LIFELINES Student Curriculum Learning Objectives • Session 1- When is a Friend in Trouble? Define reasons for a unit on suicide Examine personal reactions to a situation involving a peer’s suicidal behavior Examine the ways in which our feelings about suicide influence our actions Identify basic facts about suicide

  13. Session 2: How do I Help a Friend? Organize warning signs around FACTS sheets Name three basic suicide intervention steps Identify the words to use to ask about suicide

  14. Session 3: Where Can I Go to Get Help? Recognize specific warning signs of suicide Identify the steps in peer intervention Define traits of helpful people Identify school procedures for responding to suicidal students

  15. Session 4- How Can I Use • What I’ve Learned? Demonstrate ability to help a troubled frien • through scripted role-plays Demonstrate willingness to help self or a • troubled friend by signing a “Help-Seeking • Pledge” Identify the “wallet card” as a resource

  16. Evaluation Results Increased knowledge about suicide and school resources Increased inclination to tell an adult about an at-risk peer Increased confidence in school’s response capability Increased referrals

  17. What Is Your Role • as Parents in Youth Suicide Prevention?

  18. Talk about Suicide! • 1. Pick a good time • 2. Be conversational • 3. Be honest • 4. Be direct • 5. Listen to what your child has • to say • 6. If you get worried, ask more • questions • 7. Revisit the conversation!

  19. If You Are Concerned . . . Don’t worry about overreacting Be specific about your concerns Expect your child to discountyour concerns Ask directly about suicide Seek professional consultation

  20. Warning Signs • F = Feelings • A = Actions • C = Changes • T = Threats • S = Situations *Refer to FACTS flyer

  21. In addition to these warning signs, parents must monitor teens’ computers to see if they are accessing or developing Web sites with themes of death or destruction.Understand suicide is crisis in communication. If you sense your teen is troubled, it will help if you have established helpful patterns of communication. Here are ways to establish and maintain communication between you and your teen:

  22. 1. Create occasions for communication. No TV during dinner. At times, no radio in the car. Do chores together. Stop by just before bedtime—teens are more relaxed at this • time. Share information about your day and feelings. Find common interests/activities.

  23. 2. When you talk with your teen: Really listen. Try to understand his or her viewpoint first Accept your teen’s feelings and concerns rather than evaluate. Don’t minimize. Remember what your teen sees as his or her experience is • unique. Let him or her know others may also struggle with • these concerns.

  24. 2. When you talk with your teen: Don’t compare your teen with siblings, other kids or your • childhood Don’t overreact. Pause; take a deep breath and listen. Have • definitestandardsand limits then decide on the absolute • minimum requirements for behavior, talk, dress etc. • Let the rest go.

  25. 3. Be aware of the pressures and expectations you place on your child. It is difficult to walk the line between preparing kids for life’s pressures and adding too much pressure of your own. • 4. Be aware of demands kids place on themselves. This may be • a very important source of stress for teens.

  26. “Acknowledgment always precedes advice or directives.” ~Dr. Haim Ginnott

  27. If your child seems troubled or makes an out-of-the-blue comment about harming himself or herself, don’t worry about taking it too seriously. • Sit your child down, let him or her know of your concern; say you would rather overreact than underreact; you will always respond to such behavior or statements. • If you are unsure of how to respond to your child, talk to another • adult whom you trust: another parent, school personnel, clergy/ • religious leader or a mental health provider. Then decide on a • specific course of action.

  28. Remember it is difficult for parents to imagine their teens could feel so bad suicide is a possible alternative. Recall parents statements of teens who died by suicide; they also felt this way. As a parent, listen and take action. • The final points in regard to parents’ responsibilities: (1) teen suicide is more impulsive than adult suicide (2) the primary method of teen suicide is firearms. • Restricting access to means is an important way to prevent suicide. This means keeping firearms locked up, but this is not foolproof. If a teen is depressed, anxious or is exhibiting impulsive behavior, guns should be removed from the house.

  29. Additional Resources www.sptsnj.orgSociety for the Prevention of Teen SuicideFocuses on resources for the competent school community www.sprc.orgSuicide Prevention Resource CenterNational resource www.afsp.orgAmerican Foundation for Suicide PreventionPrinted materials & resources www.suicidology.orgAmerican Association of SuicidologyData, resources, links www.maine.gov/suicideMaine Youth Suicide Prevention ProgramExtensive resources and information on youth suicide www.maine.gov/suicide/youthMaine Teen Suicide PreventionResources and information for teens 30

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