An Initial Evaluation of the Helping Students at Risk for Suicide Professional Development Workshop

Abstract

Youth suicide is an urgent public health problem. However, schools often lack standardized protocols for suicide intervention, and many school-based mental health professionals are not prepared adequately to assess and respond to students at risk for suicide. This paper describes a professional development workshop, Helping Students At-Risk for Suicide, developed collaboratively by a state school psychology association, a state Office of Mental Health Suicide Prevention Center, and a university center. The workshop includes an integrated theoretical model of risk that serves as a foundation, introduces standardized procedures and evidence-based tools, and provides support for a collaborative process that guides school personnel from risk assessment through the student’s safe return to school. Results of preliminary evaluations of the workshop, including pilot testing (N = 71) and satisfaction data from workshop participants (N = 251) are presented, in addition to other evidence of impact and future directions.

Impact Statement

Youth suicide is an urgent public health issue, yet schools often lack standardized procedures and training to assess and respond to students at-risk for suicide. Helping Students At-Risk for Suicide is a professional development workshop that offers standardized procedures and practices with evidence-based tools (Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale and safety planning intervention) to meet this need.

Keywords:

• Youth suicide
• school
• professional development
• school-based mental health professionals

Associate Editor:

• Dorothy Espelage

DISCLOSURE

The authors of this manuscript are also developers of the Helping Students At Risk for Suicide Workshop.

Acknowledgments

We thank Hannah Grossman and Lucia Sun for their assistance with the literature review and coding of pilot study results.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amanda B. Nickerson

Amanda Nickerson is a Professor of School Psychology and Director of the Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention at the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York. Her research focuses broadly on school safety, crisis prevention and intervention, and building social–emotional strengths of youth, with a particular emphasis on bullying and other forms of violence and victimization.

Pat Breux

Pat Breux is the Director of School and Youth Initiatives at the Suicide Prevention Center of New York. In this role she provides professional development and consultation to schools and youth serving organizations across New York State. Her work focuses on the collaborative development of resources toward the adoption of evidence-based practices in child and youth suicide prevention.

Gary E. Schaffer

Gary E. Schaffer is a Professor of School Psychology and Counseling at Niagara University. In addition to being employed by Niagara University, Gary is a school psychologist for the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities and Erie County Medical Center. Gary’s areas of interest include crisis prevention and response and utilizing multitiered systems to support social, emotional, and behavioral development in children.

Mitch Samet

Mitchell J. Samet, PhD, is a Licensed Psychologist and School Psychologist in Westchester County, New York. He is an Executive Board Member of the New York Association of School Psychologists, an Adjunct Graduate Professor, and currently serves as Chairperson of the School and Youth Workgroup for the NYS Office of Mental Health: Suicide Prevention Council. Dr. Samet trains extensively in suicide prevention and intervention, and consults with the JED Foundation and a number of school districts on this topic.