 |  |
|
| |
|
![[HOME]](http://www.livingworks.net/images/NavHeadOFF.gif)          |  |
[Oregon, USA] RESPONSE, a new research-based high school suicide prevention program released in late March, is strongly recommending ASIST for two staff at each participating school. ASIST-trained staff are known to students and staff as “suicide contacts.” Their responsibility is to accept referrals of suicidal students from staff and peers, and to use their ASIST training to keep the student safe until s/he reaches the next level of care.
The program also requires schools to establish a suicide prevention team and a RESPONSE Coordinator. Schools choose whether to implement the program at a school or district level. If schools choose to implement at the school level, they will identify staff who serve as a RESPONSE Coordinator to oversee the implementation at the school. If they choose to implement at the district level, they will identify another RESPONSE Coordinator to oversee the implementation at the district level.
Once schools identify key staff for implementation and referral, they are ready to move forward with the awareness components. Jill Hollingsworth, a Master ASIST Trainer and program developer with Looking Glass Youth and Family Services of Eugene, Oregon, has worked with Richard Wilson of OutReach Arts to develop the "Never Enough" DVD series which includes a student DVD, staff in-service DVD and a—soon to be released—parent DVD.
The following was posted on The American Association of Suicidology’s section on recommended educational videos, “One reviewer commented, "the hero was the helper, not the suicidal person." Of particular note was the way in which the young "hero" had to use his intervention skills with the mother of a suicidal friend. The committee was enthusiastic in its praise for "Never Enough." The complete review is available at www.suicidology.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=25 (scroll down to "Never Enough").
The staff, student and parent awareness components include these powerful DVDs along with PowerPoint presentations and lesson plans which are designed to heighten awareness of depression and suicide, change attitudes, and facilitate helping behavior.
The student component not only incorporates best practices in the field of suicide prevention, but the lessons align with multiple National Health Education Standards. Students analyze media to identify warning signs/helping behaviors and a case study to identify how a lack of knowledge, attitudes and behaviors can intervene with getting help. Students also meet the “suicide contacts” at the school during the fourth day of the lesson plans and role play to practice what to say. The biggest barrier for students in getting help is that they don’t know what to say to an adult when seeking help1.
Like the student component, the staff in-service training also focuses on knowledge, attitudes and behavior with the goal of raising comfort and competency levels in talking with a student who may be suicidal. Students and staff both learn five steps to help and the IS PATH WARM2, the acronym recommended by the American Association of Suicidology to determine whether a student is close to acting on suicidal thoughts. Staff also learn who the suicide contacts are so it is clear that a “go to” person is ready and trained to take the student to the next level of care.
The State of Oregon’s Youth Suicide Prevention Program has adopted RESPONSE as part of its effort to expand school-based suicide prevention programming in schools. "Schools that implement the RESPONSE program bring suicide awareness and prevention to the entire school community, elevating its importance and creating a vital safety net for suicidal youth." says Donna Noonan, the Youth Suicide Prevention Coordinator for Injury Prevention & Epidemiology Program at the Oregon Public Health Division.
Looking Glass welcomes the opportunity to work with LivingWorks Education to offer this program to ASIST trainers who have connections with schools. These trainers are in an excellent position to offer workshops to key school staff who might otherwise not have any intervention skills training.
A complete overview of the program and clips of the DVDs can be found at oregon.gov/DHS/ph/ipe/ysp/response.shtml. For more informiaton about ASIST, see www.livingworks.net/AS.php.