Preventing tragedies through awareness.
Preventing tragedies through awareness.
Suicide is a leading cause of death for young people aged 15-24¹. In fact, suicide death rates for students as young as 5-years-old have skyrocketed in recent years.² Gun violence prevention is a factor as well, with 9 out of 10 suicide attempts with a firearm resulting in fatality.³
A research-informed companion program to the Say Something program, Prevent Suicide provides all members of your school community – educators, parents, and students – with custom, audience-specific and developmentally-appropriate training modules focused on recognizing the warning signs of suicide and how to assist to a young person in crisis.
Educators and parents learn to identify warning signs and how to help a child or teen who is having thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
Students in grades 6-12 learn the warning signs of suicide, mental health self-care, and how to be an Upstander who will “say something” to a Trusted Adult if they notice the warning signs in oneself or a peer.
Online program access is available to schools and districts at no cost, thanks to our generous donors. A live virtual training option is also available.
Please note: If you are currently experiencing a suicidal crisis and need help, please dial 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or call 911 immediately.
The research-informed Say Something: Prevent Suicide program was developed in consultation with our advisory board. The board includes Jonathan Singer, Ph.D., LCSW, the past president of the American Association for Suicidology and host of The Social Work Podcast and Cheryl King, Ph.D., an expert in suicide risk factors, and youth suicide prevention and intervention programs, and other leading minds in suicide prevention.
Say Something: Prevent Suicide includes audience-specific, developmentally appropriate training modules for students, educators and parents (in both English and Spanish), teaching a simple three-step model that is reinforced throughout the program cycle:
Recognize warning signs: Learn the warning signs of suicide.
Act Immediately, Take it Seriously: Understand how to take action and overcome barriers that may exist to reporting a concern about suicide or self-harm.
“Say Something”: Discover how to intervene by knowing who to go to for help.
Prior to training students in Say Something: Prevent Suicide, it is recommended that educators complete the Educator training. Additionally, educators should plan for program implementation using the Plan Template for each stage of the Program Cycle.
The research based Prevent Suicide training video and student workbook expand on the core Say Something program to help students recognize the specific warning signs of suicide in their peers; how to take these warning signs seriously; and how to get help.
Brief sets of age-specific lessons further develop the key messaging of the Say Something program for middle and high school students, through the lens of suicide prevention.
Celebrate the Say Something message throughout the school year and in activities during Say Something Week in March.
Invite parents to participate in the Say Something: Prevent Suicide Parent Training module. This training helps parents and caregivers understand the prevalence of youth suicide; the warning signs and risk factors that are specific to youth suicide; and what to do if they are concerned about a child displaying warning signs.
Discuss other ways to expand and improve your Say Something: Prevent Suicide programming next year. For example:
Start or expand SAVE Promise Clubs to increase youth engagement and empowerment on the topic of suicide prevention.
Add the Say Something: Trusted Adult workshop for educators and community members.
Research has shown that evidence-based suicide prevention programs and school threat assessment teams have been effective in reducing and helping to stop suicide.⁴
Importantly, interpersonal violence, bullying and aggression have also declined as a result of these programs. They have also lowered expulsion and suspension rates, showing increased harmony in school.
Budget concerns shouldn’t be a barrier to building a safe and supportive school climate where all students can thrive. At Sandy Hook Promise, it’s central to our mission. That’s why our programs are often available at no cost, thanks to our generous donors.
Take a look at sample Say Something: Prevent Suicide resources
An excerpt from the “Trusted Adult” training video for educators.
The video is accompanied by an Educator Handbook. Both are available in English and Spanish.
An excerpt from the training video for students.
A sample lesson plan from the Grade 9-10 Identity Unit.
The curriculum is accompanied by presentation slides and a Student Workbook.
An excerpt from the “Trusted Adult” training video for parents.
The video is accompanied by a Parent Workbook. Both are available in English and Spanish.
To learn more about bringing Say Something: Prevent Suicide, our Educator and Trusted Adult trainings, or any other Sandy Hook Promise programs and services to your school, district, or community, please submit the form below.
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