Course Category: Suicide Prevention for Educators Course
Suicide Prevention for Educators Pre-Evaluation
The following classes are part of a larger course entitled, “Youth Suicide Prevention for Educators.” This 8-part course consists of 30-minute modules that satisfy the needs of Act 71 of 2014, requiring a minimum of four hours of training on suicide prevention...
1. Suicide Prevention 101 and Debunking Myths
Unfortunately, some educators are more familiar with myths about suicide than facts and data. It is essential to help debunk myths about suicide so that educators can better understand their role, their response, and their impact. How myths are debunked...
2. School-related Epidemiology
Teachers are inundated with professional development opportunities and requirements. It is critical that the impact of suicide on schools is clearly stated, and there are data to support that impact. It is also important to include relevant information on...
3. Risk and Protective Factors
Some factors increase the risk of suicidal behavior in youth. It is essential that educators are aware of these risk factors and can identify them in youth. Additionally, it is crucial to understand that risk factors do not necessarily mean that one may...
4. Warning Signs
It is critically important that trainers make a distinction between risk factors for suicide and warning signs for suicide. Educators need to be familiar with both, but it is this distinction that prompts the appropriate action steps. While it is important...
5. Review of School District Policies and Procedures
Beginning in school year 2015-2016, every school district in Pennsylvania is required to have a set of policies and procedures related to working with students at risk for suicide. It is essential that educators are aware of their school district’s policies...
6. How Educators Can Respond to Youth about Whom They Are Concerned
Educators work with students with emotional and behavioral struggles daily. It is helpful to provide guidance on how best to respond and interact with youth with whom they are concerned. Remember their responses should be in sync with school district policies.
Facilitators:...
7. Safe Messaging
Districts that are more aggressively taking steps to prevent suicide in their schools may engage in a variety of strategies. It is critical that educators and school personnel who are leading these initiatives are fully aware of current safe messaging guidelines....
8. Postvention
An effective postvention response is a critical component of school-based suicide prevention efforts. If a student dies by suicide, educators need to understand their role and response to other students in the school district.
Facilitators:
Terri A. Erbacher,...