Schools are an integral part of suicide prevention. Schools should develop policies and procedures in how to identify students at risk, how to intervene in a crisis, how to reintegrate students after a crisis, and how to handle a completed suicide in the school and community. These policies and procedures should be developed and implemented long before they are needed.
“As a teacher, you have an important role to play in preventing suicide. You have daily contact with many young people, some of whom have problems that could result in serious injury or even death by suicide. You are therefore in a position to notice what students say, do, and write, and take action when you suspect a student may be at risk of self-harm.” – The Role of High School Teachers, Suicide Prevention Resource Center.
