SchoolBased Suicide Prevention

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Safe Schools Preventing Youth Suicide
August 26, 2008
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Moderator

• Joan Lerman, MSSW
• School Administrative Consultant
• Prevention/School Violence
• Student Services/Prevention and Wellness Team
• Department of Public Instruction

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• This months webcast is brought you with
  partnerships between the Wisconsin Department of
  Public Instruction, Office of Justice Assistance,
  Homeland Security Program, Wisconsin Emergency
  Management, Department of Health and Family
  Services and partnering organizations involved in
  the Center for School, Youth and Citizen
  Preparedness.

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Audio Difficulties?

• Make sure the volume is turned up (volume button
  beneath the speakers picture)
• Make sure the volume on the computer is turned up
  (volume icon located on the right hand side of
  your computer taskbar)
• Contact your IT department
• If audio and visual is lost during the program,
  go back to http//media2.wi.gov/dpi/catalog/,
  and click on the Student Services Prevention and
  Wellness Team link on the left, then when the
  SSPW Team page of archived programs appears,
  select the program link desired.
• If problem persists contact Ken Wagner (608)
  266-5181.

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Preventing Youth Suicide

• Information for Schools
• John Humphries
• School Psychologist
• WI DPI
• August 26, 2008

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Goals for this workshop

• Present useful data
• Discuss risk factors
• Identify early and late warning signs
• Suggest an easy way to help suicidal students
  ACT
• End youth suicide in Wisconsin!

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Why Gatekeeper Training?

• Describes a serious problem among kids
• Empowers staff to help
• Ends fear of taking action
• Increases ability to identify, support, refer

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Youth Risk Behavior Survey
WI DPI, 2007
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Where does suicide rank among causes of death in
WI youth?

• And, how many youth die by suicide every year?
• DHS WISH, 1999-2006, ages 10-19,
  www.dhfs.wisconsin.gov/wish/Mortality Module,
  accessed 10/30 31 2007

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Is suicide very common?
Suicide 399! That's about 50 each year
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Of all deaths among youth

• In the U.S.
• Suicides are 12
• Suicide is the third leading cause of death

• In Wisconsin
• Suicides 17
• Suicide is the second leading cause of death

• WISQARS, Centers for Disease Control and
  Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics
  (NCHS), National Vital Statistics System,
  downloaded 3/19/08 for years 1999-2005, ages
  10-19

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Wisconsins Rate Compared to USA

• For 10-19 year olds
• 13th highest rate in nation
• Rate is 42 higher than national average
• For 10-14 year olds
• 5th highest in US
• 20 states didnt even have enough suicides in
  this age range to have reliable data
• CDC WISQARS

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Risk Factors

• Risk factors raise risk something will occur
• The most important suicide risk factors
• A prior suicide attempt
• Suicidal thoughts or plans
• Exposure to suicide of friends, family,
  community, or in the media

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Other Risk Factors

• Serious depression, hopelessness
• Using drugs or drinking
• Teenage Crisis
• Risky behaviors
• School problems
• Trouble solving problems

J. of Adolescence, 29 (2005) 75-87 Arch Pediatr
Adolesc Med. 2005159513-519 J. School Health,
77, 2, 59-66
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Early Warning Signs

• Look for changes over time, including
• Spending more time alone (girlsisolated)
• Major/frequent mood swings (boysangry)
• Difficulty concentrating
• Decline in quality of school work
• Change in eating or sleeping habits
• Boredom
• Physical symptoms related to emotions
• Youth Suicide Prevention School-Based Guide,
  2003, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health
  Institute
• Goldstein, et. al, J Consulting Clinical
  Psychiatry, 2008 Feb 76(1) 84-91

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Late Warning Signs

• Talking about suicide
• Impulsive violent or rebellious actions
• Refusing help, wont accept praise
• Being cheerful after a period of depression
• Giving away favorite possessions
• Making a last will testament
• Youth Suicide Prevention School-Based Guide,
  2003, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health
  Institute

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ACT NOW!

• If you see any late warning signs, you should act
  immediately.
• Dont try to diagnose the problem.
• Dont worry about students getting attention.
• Myth Asking them will give them ideas.
• Myth They wont tell the truth when asked.
• Myth If they dont do it now, will do it later.

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What else do we need to know?

• Suicide doesnt just happen out of the blue90
  had treatable mental illnesses or drug/alcohol
  problems.
• Usually an impulsive reaction to crisis
• Firearms used in more than half of youth suicides
  in WIsafe storage is critical

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It might look something like this

• Youve noticed risk factors such as depression or
  exposure to suicide
• and the student has become isolated
• and they hinted about suicide or forever escaping
  their problems
• its time to ACT! Right away! Dont leave the
  student alone.

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ACT for suicide prevention

• A is Acknowledge signs and symptoms
• C is for showing Care and Concern for the
  person who is at-risk
• T is Tell a trusted adult who knows how to
  respond
• Signs of Suicide is the source of ACT, a program
  of Screening for Mental Health

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A is ACKNOWLEDGE

• That sounds really tough, Im sorry to hear it.
• You have some major challenges on your plate.
• Dont minimize their feelings by saying
• Youll get over it.
• Time heals all wounds.
• Stop worrying about it.
• You dont even have to ask questions!

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C is CARE AND CONCERN

• I would hate for any harm to come to you.
• I dont want this to get any worse. Id really
  like to see you get some help.
• Youre an important part of my class and I want
  to be sure you stay safe.

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T is TELL A TRUSTED ADULT

• I know Mr. Humphries in the Student Services
  office, and he works with many students who are
  facing challenges like this. Lets go see him
  together.
• Know your School Counselor, School Psychologist,
  School Social Worker, School Nurse, and other
  members of your Crisis Response Team. Take the
  student to see one of them right away, even if
  youre not sure if its a crisis.

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State Law Protects You!

• WI 118.295 Suicide intervention civil liability
  exemption. any (school) officer, employee or
  volunteer, who in good faith attempts to prevent
  suicide by a pupil is immune from civil liability
  for his or her acts or omissions in respect to
  the suicide or attempted suicide.
• You are safe in trying to help students.
• For private and public schools.

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What can schools do?

• Staff and volunteers should be skilled at
  identifying and helping suicidal students
• Train all students (another law)
• Develop prevention/intervention programs
• Student Services staff should be skilled at
  suicide risk assessment or have access to someone
  who is skilled in this area

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In your school

• Are there any students you are concerned about
  right now?
• Who can you take a student to see?

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Remember

• All you need to do to stop youth suicide is
• ACT
• Acknowledge
• Care
• Tell
• The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is
  always available at (800) 273-TALK

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Additional Resources

• DPIs Suicide Prevention Web Page
• www.dpi.wi.gov/sspw/suicideprev
• Suicide Prevention Resource Center
• www.sprc.org

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Practice ACT

• High School Junior Girl, Monica
• Used to be social, would laugh, participate
• Grades were good but have slipped
• Over 6 or 8 months becomes isolated, gloomy,
  outlook is bleak
• One day says to you, Id like to take a
  permanent nap and never wake up.
• What do you do?

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Contact Information

• John Humphries
• [phone]
• john.humphries_at_dpi.wi.gov

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• Webcasts may also be observed at
• www.citizenpreparedness.org
• From the Center for School, Youth, and Citizen
  Preparedness

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Any comments regarding this webcast?Any
suggestions on future school safety topics?

• Contact
• Joan Lerman 608-266-2829
• joan.lerman_at_dpi.wi.gov
• Ken Wagner 608-266-5181
• kenneth.wagner_at_dpi.wi.gov

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• Programs archived at
• http//media2.wi.gov/dpi/catalog

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Next Safe Schools Webcast
October 21, 2008