Through Jamie’s Law, all middle and high schools in West Virginia are required to educate students on the topic of suicide each year. This information will be shared with BMS students through our Signs of Suicide program on September 9th and 10th with the help of professionals from Healthy Minds.
SOS has been used by thousands of schools over the past few decades. Studies have shown that it effectively teaches students about depression and suicide while reducing the number of students’ self-reported suicide attempts.
Through the program, students learn:
that depression is treatable, so they are encouraged to seek help
how to identify depression and potential suicide risk in themselves or a friend
to ACT (Acknowledge, Care and Tell a trusted adult) if concerned about themselves or a friend
who they can turn to at school for help, if they need it
Students will watch age-appropriate video clips and participate in a guided discussion about depression, suicide, and what to do if they are concerned about a friend. Following the video, students will complete a response slip which asks whether they would like to talk to an adult about any concerns. School staff will conduct brief meetings with any student asking to talk. If during the talk it becomes necessary, students will complete a brief depression screening tool. This tool cannot provide a diagnosis of depression but does indicate whether a young person should be referred for evaluation by a mental health professional.
We encourage you to visit www.sossignsofsuicide.org/parent for information on warning signs for youth suicide, useful resources, and some of the key messages students will learn.
If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s participation in this program please contact me by September 6th during school hours at 304-326-7148 or lauren.merrill@k12.wv.us. You may also contact either of our administrators.
Sincerely,
Lauren Merrill, BMS Counselor