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Youth Suicide Prevention

Youth Suicide Prevention. Dr. Scott Poland, N.S.U Dr. Steve Rosenberg, P.S.I. YOUTH SUICIDE PROGRAM COMPONENTS Prevention Intervention Postvention. Recommendations. Create a task force and develop school/community policies and collaboration Train school staff on warning signs

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Youth Suicide Prevention

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  1. Youth Suicide Prevention Dr. Scott Poland, N.S.U Dr. Steve Rosenberg, P.S.I.

  2. YOUTH SUICIDE PROGRAM COMPONENTS • Prevention • Intervention • Postvention

  3. Recommendations • Create a task force and develop school/community policies and collaboration • Train school staff on warning signs • Form a partnership with schools, agencies, law enforcement, clergy and mental health agencies • Train school/community professionals on suicide assessment • Provide prevention information to parents and all others who interact with youth • Be familiar with evidenced based and best practice programs listed on the SPRC website

  4. Recommendations • Know the incidence of suicide across the life span • Pay attention to students’ writing about death and dying • Be familiar with evidenced based practices listed at www.sprc.org

  5. International Perspective • 1 million suicides world wide annually • U.S. rate 12 per 100,000 • World Health Organization has predicted by 2020 suicide will be the second leading cause of death in the world • Strong relationship between substance abuse and suicide

  6. 2007 YRBSS RESULTS • Surveyed 15,000 H.S students in U.S. and in the last year: • 28.5 % reported being sad or hopeless • 11.3% made a suicide plan • 6.9% made an attempt

  7. International Prevention • Survey of research in 35 countries 1960 to 2005 • Most effective prevention involves restricting lethal means and educating caregivers and especially physicians on warning signs and prevention and intervention strategies

  8. Suicide & Guns People living in a house-hold where a firearm is kept are almost 5 times more likely to die by suicide than people who live in gun-free homes. Approximately 60% of all suicides involve gun.

  9. Precipitating Events • Severe argument with parents • Break-up up of romance • Humiliation • Loss • Discipline/Police Issue (Utah Study) • Problem peer relations (Girls/peer issues) • Disappointment School/Grades

  10. HIGH RISK GROUPS • Caucasian males • Caucasian females • Hispanic youth • Gay, lesbian and bisexual youth • Native American youth

  11. GLBT Issues • Higher rates not due to identity but unique complications “nothing inherently suicidal about same sex orientation” • Studies have found 17 to 42% more attempts • External factors: conflict, harassment, abuse rejection, lack of support • Advocacy for GLBT population in school often met with resistance

  12. WARNING SIGNS OF YOUTH SUICIDE • Suicide notes • Threats • Symptomatic clues • Giving away prized possessions/making a will • Fascination with death • Exposure to suicide

  13. PROTECTIVE FACTORS • Good relationships with other youth • Seeks adult help when needed • Lack of access to suicidal means • Access to mental health care • Religiosity • School environment that encourages help seeking and promotes health

  14. PROTECTIVE FACTORS • Family cohesion and stability • Coping and problem solving skills • Positive self worth and impulse control • Positive connections to school and extracurricular participation • Successful academically

  15. Screening Program • Signs of Suicide SOS www.mentalhealthscreening.org SOS research found fewer suicide attempts and increased adult help seeking behavior Sponsors include NASSP, NASN, ASCA and NASP

  16. American Association of Suicidology: School Suicide Prevention Accreditation Program • Designed for support and mental health professionals • Become your school/community authority • Know best/evidence based practices • Reading list and sample exam provided • Includes membership and ongoing support • www.suicidology.org

  17. SUICIDE INTERVENTION:Postvention Strategies • Memorials: DO • Something to prevent other suicides. • Develop “living memorials” such as student assistance programs. • Allow students, with parental permission and support to attend the funeral. • Avoid glorifying the suicidal act.

  18. SUICIDE INTERVENTION:Postvention Strategies • Memorials: DO NOT • Dismiss school or encourage funeral attendance during school hours. • Have memorial or funeral services at school. • Allow plaques, trees, dedications in yearbook, songs or sporting events Have assemblies or moments of silence. • Cover suicide with front page news. • Print picture of the deceased.

  19. Answering Students Questions • Why did he/she do it? • What method did they use? • Why didn’t God stop them? • Is someone or something to blame? • How do we prevent further suicides?

  20. Risk Factors for Imitative Behavior • Facilitated the suicide through involvement in a pact, providing the means or encouraging the suicide • Believe their mistreatment of the victim contributed • Failed to recognize intent either did not take threat seriously or missed obvious warning signs

  21. Risk Factors for Imitative Behavior • Had close relationship with victim • Identify with suicide victim either view them as role model or see parallel life circumstances • History of prior suicidal behavior or mental health problems

  22. Suicide Clusters:Center for Disease Control Recommendations • Convene planning committee that involves all sectors of school and community • Deliver a public response that minimizes sensationalism and avoids glorification • Evaluate and counsel the close friends of the suicide victim and those previously know to be suicidal • Community resources must include: hospital and emergency personnel, community mental health, local and state agencies, clergy, school leaders, parent groups, survivor groups, police, media and crisis hotline personnel

  23. Preventing Suicide: What to Do Listen carefullyto what the person is saying. Demonstrate that you grasp— what he or she is facing and his or her emotional state

  24. Preventing Suicide:What to Do For example, if a person tells you: Ever since the break up, I haven’t been able to study, and now I just found out my parents are divorcing – I might as well give up!

  25. Preventing Suicide:What to Do You could respond: “It’s so hard to concentrate when you’re in pain. And now you’re getting hit with another loss. You must be really overwhelmed.”

  26. Preventing Suicide:WhatNOT to Do DO NOT criticize, try to change, or make light of what he or she is thinking/feeling. DO NOT minimize the potential for harm. DO NOT agree to secrecy. DO NOT wait to seek help. DO NOT leave a potentially suicidal person alone.

  27. Preventing Suicide AndGetting Help Call 24 hours per day: National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-Suicide or 1-800-273-Talk or 1-800-273-8255

  28. The journey of postvention begins and ends with prevention. No single community agency has the resources to respond to a suicide cluster but together they can make a difference.

  29. YOUTH SUICIDE:Resources American Association of Suicidology www.suicidology.org American Foundation for Suicide Prevention www.afsp.org Suicide Prevention Resource Center www.sprc.org Centers for Disease Control www.cdc.gov

  30. spoland@nova.edupsisr@aol.comwww.psi-solutions.com

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