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This padlet guide is from the perspective of a school counselor and is intended for counselors who will likely work with suicidal students throughout the course of their careers. This topic was chosen because I, as an educator, have encountered many students who expressed suicidal thoughts and some who attempted suicide. It is important to me that we as educators do all we can to protect our students.

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I interviewed Nancy Kirby, head counselor for Sulphur Springs Middle School. In our interview, I learned that the topic of this padlet is important for school counselors as it is their job to screen students for suicidal ideation and refer them for outside help if they need it. The American School Counselor Association Ethical Standards for School Counselors (2016) states that school counselors are tasked with ensuring students do not cause serious harm to themselves or others. The School counselors also give guidance lessons to students throughout the school year over a number of topics and suicide prevention is included. School counselors are the only personnel, aside from a school psychologist which most public schools do not have on staff, to assess a student's risk for suicide. It is necessary for school counselors to not only be prepared to recognize suicidal thoughts and ideation in students but inform teachers on recognizing it and reporting it to the counselor immediately upon becoming aware of it. It is also important for school counselors to continue self-education on this topic by regularly attending workshops and staying up to date on the most effective assessments and intervention methods (Kirby, 2021).

Best practices include:
- having an intervention plan in place for suicidal students
- Administering the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale
- notifying parents regardless of suicide risk level
-never release a student who is a danger to self unless there is proper support for that student available, for example, a parent/guardian or child protective services
(American School Counselor Association, 2016).

The COVID-19 pandemic placed increased strain on students who had to stay home in negative family situations due to lockdowns. Students are at an increased risk for suicide due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Moutier, 2021). This is something educators need to be aware of, especially since COVID-19 has not been eradicated and there is potential for more lockdowns. If schools do require a shutdown due to COVID-19 or any future pandemic, it would be wise to schedule home visits, video calls, or phone calls to check on students (Moutier, 2021).

References:
American School Counselor Association. (2016). ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors. Career and College Readiness Counseling in P–12 Schools. https://doi.org/10.1891/9780826136152.ap04

Moutier, C. (2021, April 1). Suicide Prevention in the COVID-19 Era. JAMA Psychiatry. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2772135/.

Kirby, N. (2021, July 15). School Counselor Interview. personal.

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The American Counselor Association provides a mental health training course called the "Mental Health Specialist" that provides resources for the School Counselor to utilize in their work. Upon completing the course the School Counselor will be able to identify warning signs of mental health disorders (which contribute to more than 90% of suicide deaths), address the mental health needs of their students, understand when collaboration is necessary, implement suicide prevention policies, and identify best mental health practices  (American School Counselor Association, 2021).

Reference:
American School Counselor Association. (2021). Mental Health Specialist. Mental Health Specialist - American School Counselor Association (ASCA). https://www.schoolcounselor.org/Events-Professional-Development/Professional-Development/ASCA-U-Specialist-Training/Mental-Health-Specialist.

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Article Title:
Jordan’s story: Isolated, anxious and failing online classes, an 11-year-old Texas boy considered suicide

Link: https://www.texastribune.org/2021/01/13/texas-schools-mental-health/

Bulleted Summary:
-Recent article focusing on the negative mental health effects of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic
-How the difficulties of at-home learning led a middle school student to thoughts of suicide
-the school quickly intervened and immediately contacted the student's mother and advising her to take him for assessment, which she did
-the State of Texas did not give school districts the time, resources, or proper direction to be prepared to offer virtual learning.

Reference:
Swaby, A. (2021, January 13). Jordan's story: Isolated, anxious and failing online classes, an 11-year-old Texas boy considered suicide. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2021/01/13/texas-schools-mental-health/.

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Article Title: Review of Children’s Mental Health Policy Progress During the 2021 Texas Legislative Session

Link: https://txchildren.org/posts/2021/7/1/review-of-childrens-mental-health-policy-progress-during-the-2021-texas-legislative-session

Bulleted Summary:
-This article reviews the progress of Texas legislation regarding Children's Mental Health
-Bills were passed in support of social-emotional learning
-A bill was passed to ensure that School Counselors spend more of their time counseling
-The legislature failed to dedicate funding to address the trauma associated with the pandemic as well as the learning loss rooted in this trauma

Reference:
Texans Care for Children. (2021, July 2). Review of Children's Mental Health Policy Progress During the 2021 Texas Legislative Session. Texans Care for Children. https://txchildren.org/posts/2021/7/1/review-of-childrens-mental-health-policy-progress-during-the-2021-texas-legislative-session.

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National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020

An amendment to the Communications Act of 1934 to change the cumbersome 10 digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number to 9-8-8.

Reference:

National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020, Pub. L. 116-172, 134 Stat. 832

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Suicide and Threat Assessment Nationally Dedicated to Universal Prevention Act of 2019

This is a bill that has been introduced and if it passes it will require that all schools nation wide require evidence based suicide prevention programs.

Reference:
Suicide and Threat Assessment Nationally Dedicated to Universal Prevention Act of 2019, H.R. 2599, 116th Cong. (2019)

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Texas Education Code, Chapter 38, Subchapter G. Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Youth Suicide Section 351. 4 states that schools must have a suicide prevention program.

References:
38 Tex. Educ. Code § 351.4 (2019)

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In 2019 the definition for "mental health" was updated in the Texas education code to provide a better understanding of what constitutes mental illness.

References:
2 Tex. Educ. Code § 5.001.5a (2019)

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The Sulphur Springs ISD Student Code of Conduct states that a student may be placed in DAEP or expelled for participating in actions or events that lead to a student committing suicide  (SSISD, 2020).

Reference:
SSISD. (2020). Sulphur Springs ISD Student Code of Conduct. Sulphur Springs; Sulphur Springs Independent School District.

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The most relevant ethical principle related to this topic is A9 in the ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors. It is my responsibility as a School Counselor to prevent a student from self-harming or harming others to the best of my ability (American School Counselor Association, 2016).

Link: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/f041cbd0-7004-47a5-ba01-3a5d657c6743/Ethical-Standards.pdf

Reference:
American School Counselor Association. (2016). ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors. Career and College Readiness Counseling in P–12 Schools. https://doi.org/10.1891/9780826136152.ap04

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Slide 12: Personal Connection to the Legal and Ethical Standards

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Slide 12: Personal Connection to the Legal and Ethical Standards

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Without these laws I would not be able to protect my students struggling with mental illness. Suicide prevention is a huge aspect of school counseling. I believe there are many students who don't reach the point of suicidal thoughts simply because of the support and psychoeducation a school counselor is able to provide due to these laws. Without these laws, a school counselor might not have the time or resources allotted to help these students. Federal and State laws regarding mental health and suicide prevention are some of the most important education laws. Improving the mental health of young people is one of the main reasons I want to be a school counselor, therefore understanding the application of these laws is essential for me.

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Slide 13: Recommendations / Best Practices for Compliance

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Slide 13: Recommendations / Best Practices for Compliance

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1. School Counselors should complete training in mental health awareness and trauma to be better equipped to serve their students.
2. School Counselors should have a suicide intervention plan in place and be ready to follow the necessary steps if a student presents suicidal thoughts or ideation.
3. School Counselors should be prepared to contact outside resources and refer students to outside resources such as therapists and psychiatric assessment centers.
4. School Counselors should ensure teachers are aware of proper procedure for reporting a student who has expressed suicidal thoughts.
5. School Counselors should make suicide prevention a part of their guidance lessons for the entire student population.
6. School Counselors should ensure that students are aware of and have access to mental health resources at home such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.