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Signs of Suicide Presentation

Adolescence is marked by a roller-coaster ride of emotions—difficult for teens, their families, and educators.  It is easy to misread depression as normal adolescent turmoil; however, depression appears to be occurring at a much earlier age, and the past decade has seen teen suicide rates double.

In order to proactively address this issue, Chief Joseph is offering a suicide prevention training as part of the SOS Signs of Suicide® Prevention Program.  This program is being used across our district in both middle schools and the high school.  It has proven successful at increasing help-seeking by students concerned about themselves or a friend and is the only school-based suicide prevention program listed on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices that addresses suicide risk and depression, while reducing suicide attempts.

 Our goals in participating in this program are straightforward:

  • To help our students understand that depression is a treatable illness, and help them assess whether or not they may have symptoms consistent with depression,
  • To explain that suicide is a preventable tragedy that often occurs as a result of untreated depression,
  • To provide students training in how to identify serious depression and potential suicidality in a friend, and,
  • To impress upon teens that they can help themselves or a friend by taking the simple step of talking to a responsible adult about their concerns

We will be showing a video about the Signs of Suicide and leading a discussion during many classes this year. A letter will be sent home with your child prior to receiving the lesson.

If you do NOT want your child to participate in the SOS intervention training during class please inform your child’s Health Enhancement teacher or his/her counselor, Brian Mitchell at 522-6321 or Taylor Gooch at 522-6320 prior to their lesson.
2015 Parent Informational Meeting.pdf