SPEAK

Suicide Prevention Education Awareness and Knowledge Program

Our mission is to reduce the stigma that is associated with mental health and depression, increase help-seeking behaviors in our youth, and improve staff responsiveness to suicidal concerns and behaviors in our students by providing suicide prevention education to students, staff, and parents throughout the district.

The Mental Health Resource Center (MHRC), in conjunction with Counseling and Guidance,was awarded a contract through County Mental Health to implement a district-wide Youth Suicide Prevention Program. A District Suicide Prevention Oversight Team (DSPOT) consisting of mental health staff is overseeing the implementation of a comprehensive suicide prevention program for our district.

DSPOT is providing education to students, staff, families and community members at all schools with 7th, 9th, and 11th grade enrollment. The education helps individuals recognize the warning signs for potential self harm and suicidal behaviors in our students. To address the needs of each school/community, we provide training in various languages. Additionally, the DSPOT is working with the Department of Counseling and Guidance to provide a coherent district wide set of procedures to guide all staff in handling situations involving threats or actions of self harm.

  The SPEAK Program was developed to:

• Collaborate with Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program® to develop a suicide prevention program that meets the needs of our students.

• Assist each school in the selection of a Suicide Prevention Specialty Team (SPST). These team members will be leaders in the continuation of Yellow Ribbon trainings on each campus, as well as reinforce district policies and procedures.

• Provide each school with a community resource guide.

• Train SPST members to respond to threats of student self harm.

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