After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools

After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)-funded Suicide Prevention Resource Center has just released "After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools." This new, free resource was created by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), two of the nation's leading organizations devoted to suicide prevention. This team of national experts, including clinicians and crisis response professionals, developed an online toolkit that draws on scientific research and best practices and includes common warning signs and causes of suicide. The kit emphasizes that schools should inform students about the connection between suicide and underlying disorders such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. It also recommends that administrators remind the community about available mental health resources, including hotline numbers and local counseling services. Other toolkit recommendations include talking with students in small groups to help them manage their emotional responses and monitoring social media to help identify other students who may be at risk. Download the toolkit (PDF, 6 pages).