While most schools have counselors on site regularly, the majority of school staff members are not trained clinicians who are equipped to deal with urgent mental health matters in students. Skills in Youth Suicide Prevention provides simple but critical teaching points for all adults who interact with young people, regardless of their educational background or profession.
In this comprehensive video, viewers will learn the steps and strategies to adequately recognize and respond to at-risk behavior in students. It addresses the common mistakes adults often make in responding to a young person’s warning signs, such as being too busy, ignoring them, challenging them, or minimizing their troubles. It then offers effective alternative approaches which can be implemented by any school staff member who encounters a troubled youth. Typical examples of such interactions are acted out, illustrating the remarkable difference in outcomes when adults respond appropriately.
The video also features Rose, a math teacher, who shares an experience she had early on in her teaching career in which she recognized suicidal warning signs in her student, Richard. Although Rose was a novice teacher and had not been trained to address suicidal ideation, she responded quickly and effectively by leading her student to the school counselor who was trained to give him the help he needed. The reenactment provides viewers with a strong example of the basic skills this video can instill in any school staff member.
Skills in Youth Suicide Prevention is an excellent tool for any adult who regularly interacts with young people. It provides straightforward, fundamental tips to teach staff members effective ways to recognize and respond to suicidal ideation in students. It also outlines basic information about recognizing depression, low self-esteem, and anxiety in students, and offers ideas to address these issues. All adults can benefit from this useful video, in an effort to work together to prevent youth suicide.
