Niceville High School The School-Based Peer-to-Peer Suicide Prevention Program Did you know that in Florida suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among youth between ages 10-24 years old? Thousands of youth are lost each year to suicide, but most suicides are preventable! Let’s save our Eagles! Mission Statement To reduce youth suicide through education, training, and peer intervention. Hope Squad Goal Hope Squad seeks to reduce self- destructive behavior and youth suicide by training, building, and creating change in schools and communities. Local Website www.bringhopenow.com National Website www.hopesquad.com SUICIDE CRISIS RESOURCES Crisis Text Line o Text “GULF” to 741 741 o www.crisistextline.org National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 o 1-800-273-TALK (8255) o www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org Trevor Text (LGBTQ) o Text “START” to 678 678 Trevor Lifeline 24/7 o 1-866-488-7386 o www.thetrevorproject.org What is Hope Squad? The Hope Squad program is a school-based peer support team that partners with local mental health agencies. Peers select students who are trustworthy and caring individuals to join the Hope Squad. Squad members are trained to watch for at-risk students, provide friendship, identify suicide warning signs, and seek help from adults. Hope Squad members are NOT taught to act as counselors, but they are educated on recognizing suicide warning signs and how to properly and respectfully report concerns to an adult. Once invited to be a Hope Squad member, students must get a permission form signed by their parents and attend regular training meetings. SUICIDE CRISIS RESOURCES Drug and Poison Control o 1-800-222-1222 Mobile Response Team (MRT) 24/7 o 1-866-517-7766
Transcript
Niceville High School
The School-Based
Peer-to-Peer Suicide Prevention Program
Did you know that in Florida suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among youth between ages 10-24 years old?
Thousands of youth are lost each year to suicide, but most suicides are preventable!
Let’s save our Eagles!
Mission Statement To reduce youth suicide through
education, training, and peer intervention.
Hope Squad Goal Hope Squad seeks to reduce self-destructive behavior and youth
suicide by training, building, and creating change in schools and
communities.
Local Website www.bringhopenow.com
National Website www.hopesquad.com
SUICIDE CRISIS RESOURCES
Crisis Text Line o Text “GULF” to 741 741 o www.crisistextline.org
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 o 1-800-273-TALK (8255) o www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Trevor Text (LGBTQ) o Text “START” to 678 678
Trevor Lifeline 24/7 o 1-866-488-7386 o www.thetrevorproject.org
What is Hope Squad? The Hope Squad program is a school-based peer
support team that partners with local mental health agencies.
Peers select students who are trustworthy and caring individuals to join the Hope Squad.
Squad members are trained to watch for at-risk students, provide friendship, identify suicide warning signs, and seek help from adults.
Hope Squad members are NOT taught to act as counselors, but they are educated on recognizing suicide warning signs and how to properly and respectfully report concerns to an adult.
Once invited to be a Hope Squad member, students must get a permission form signed by their parents and attend regular training meetings.
Hope Squad Objectives Train—Hope Squad will train students to
recognize suicide warning signs and act upon those warnings to break the code of silence.
Build—Hope Squad will build positive relationships among peers to facilitate acceptance for seeking help.
Change—Hope Squad will work to change the school culture regarding suicide by reducing stigmas about suicide and mental health on campus and in the community.
Hope Squad Members Strive To Create a safe, school environment Promote connectedness Support anti-bullying Encourage mental wellness Reduce mental health stigma Prevent substance misuse
HOW CAN I HELP A STRUGGLING STUDENT?
Read “Suicide Prevention: What to Look For” to learn more about suicide warning
QPR Everyone can use the QPR strategy to save a life!
1. Q—Question You should question the person, either directly or
indirectly, about suicidal thoughts. o “Have you been so unhappy that you’ve been
thinking about ending your life?” o “Are you thinking about killing yourself?”
Do NOT say things like, o “You wouldn’t do something stupid, right?” o “You’re not suicidal, are you?” o “It’s just a phase; get over it.”
Contrary to what you might think, talking about suicide does not give a person the idea of committing suicide; in fact, it makes the person in crisis feel heard and relieved.
2. P—Persuade If someone confides in you that they have suicidal
thoughts, the next step is to try to persuade the person to stay alive.
o Show that you genuinely care about the person and the person’s challenges.
o Be patient. o Don’t rush to judgment. o Offer hope in any form.
Say things like, o “I’m concerned about you.” o “Will you go with me to get help?”
3. R—Refer You need to refer the person to help. The best referral
involves taking the person directly to someone who can help. Tell a trusted adult, even if your friend refuses to get help. While arranging help for someone, stay with the person. Any willingness to accept help at some time, even if in the future, is a good outcome.
Do not send an email. Speak directly to a trusted adult.
