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Suicide Awareness and Prevention

Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

If you or someone you know is contemplating self-harm or suicide, call, text, or chat with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. Simply dial #988 from any phone.

In-School Programming

Our district uses SOS Signs of Suicide to teach suicide prevention to students. SOS is an evidence-based youth suicide prevention program that teaches middle and high school students how to identify warning signs of suicide and depression. Trusted by thousands of schools across the country, SOS can be delivered in a single class period and encourages students to ACT (Acknowledge, Care, Tell) if they are worried about themselves or a friend. To preview the videos and curriculum, check out MindWise Innovations SOS Parent Guide.

Hope Squad

Hope Squad is a peer to peer suicide prevention and awareness program.  Click this link to learn more: https://hopesquad.com/

Dublin City Schools currently has Hope Squad Teams and Advisors in each high school and is developing Hope Squad Teams in each middle school. In Ohio, suicide is the leading cause of death among students aged 10-17. Hope Squad is a research-based, highly effective way to raise awareness, reduce stigma and empower our students to assist their peers in getting to the help they need when in crisis. Hope Squad Team members do not take on the role of counselor or therapist, but rather serve as a point person for students in crisis to get to the adult help that they need.  

Students are already talking about mental health with each other.  Hope Squad saves lives.

Hope Squad

 

At Home

We encourage you to talk to your child about their suicide prevention education. Through SOS, students are learning to ACT: Acknowledge signs of suicide, show their friend they Care, and Tell a trusted adult. It can be tough to bring up the topic of depression and suicide, but these conversations are essential. Ask your child about what they are learning in school and encourage them to come to you with any concerns for themselves or their friends. You can help protect your child and their friends by starting a conversation about mental health today and keeping it going throughout the years.

SOS Resources for Parents & Caregivers:

About Youth Depression and Suicide

  • Teens share what depression felt like for them. Experts talk about the warning signs of depression and suicide in adolescents. Watch the video.

Elli’s Story: Youth Depression from her Parents’ Perspective

  • Elli tells the story of her struggle with depression, self-harm, and suicide. Her best friend, Mikayla, recounts how telling her own parent about her fears for Elli helped save her life. Watch the video.