Suicide prevention efforts have largely focused on strategies to identify and get help for those who are at-risk for suicide, but suicide prevention can also occur prior to the onset of risk to prevent the development of risk. Such “upstream” suicide prevention approaches may be able to inoculate individuals against suicide. Suicide prevention efforts have largely focused on strategies to identify and get help for those who are at risk for suicide. But suicide prevention can also occur prior to the onset of risk to prevent the development of risk. Such “upstream” suicide prevention approaches may be able to inoculate individuals against suicide.
“Keep in mind that half of the 18,000 hotline calls I have received (since 1988) from school crisis team members have come from elementary schools!”
—RICHARD LIEBERMAN, PhD, SUICIDE PREVENTION SERVICES, LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
“We are getting requests for more on the grade school level. Being a wellness approach, we are not getting much push back from schools, but more interest in this type of strength-based approach … There are lots of ways we can impact suicide in grade school without having to talk about suicide.”
—MARK LOMURRAY, LSW, PREVENTION SPECIALIST AND DEVELOPER OF THE NATIONAL BEST-PRACTICE SOURCES OF STRENGTH PROGRAM
“Research on middle schoolers shows a significant developmental lag between intensification of emotional and behavioral states of puberty, and the mastery of cognitive and emotional coping skills that comes with later adolescence and early adulthood. This can result in moodiness, poor judgment, criticality, emotion-focused coping. Approaches should focus on … teaching emotional regulation and problem-solving for students.”
—ELLY STOUT, MS, NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCE CENTER
“By the time someone is in 11th or 12th grade, it’s a little late to start talking suicide prevention … about coping skills, resiliency, competency. You’re behind the curve.”