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American School Counselor Association.  (2016).  ASCA Ethical standards
for school counselors. Retrieved from  https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/f041cbd0-7004-47a5-ba01-3a5d657c6743/Ethical-Standards.pdf

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American School Counselor Association.  (2020).  Mental health specialist.  Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/Events-Professional-Development/Professional-Development/ASCA-U-Specialist-Training/Mental-Health-Specialist

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Sparks S.  (2020).

Children’s mental health emergencies skyrocketed after COVID-19 hit. What schools can do.  Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/leadership/childrens-mental-health-emergencies-skyrocketed-after-covid-19-hit-what-schools-can-do/2020/11

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Stone, C.  (2018).  Suicide and child abuse reporting.  Retrieved from https://www.ascaschoolcounselor-digital.org/ascaschoolcounselor/july_august_2018/MobilePagedArticle.action?articleId=1410649#articleId1410649

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I currently serve as the North Hopkins ISD Elementary School Counselor.  This information educates North Hopkins Elementary teachers and staff on how to handle possible suicidal students.  As the elementary counselor, three elementary students expressed to me this past school year they considered committing suicide.  Although this is roughly only 1% of our population, it is still very significant.  In Texas, suicide serves as the third leading cause of death in adolescents 10 to 14 years of age and the second leading cause of death in individuals 15 - 24 years of age (Texas Child Fatality Review Team, 2015).

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Texas Child Fatality Review Team. (2015).  Texas state child fatality review team committee
position statement: Youth suicide.  Retrieved from https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/mch/pdf/SCFRT-Position-Statement-Suicide-2015-FINAL/

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The American School Counselor Association offers a course to school counselors to help recognize the signs of mental health disorders in students.  Through this training, counselors also learn how and when to collaborate with outside sources about mental health disorders, learn how to implement suicide prevention policies, and best practices for students with or with possible mental disorders.

American School Counselor Association.  (2020).  Mental health specialist.  Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/Events-Professional-Development/Professional-Development/ASCA-U-Specialist-Training/Mental-Health-Specialist

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Texas schools district improvement plan must include evidence based strategies to meet the needs of the student population including

suicide prevention programs and

procedures on parental/guardian contact.

Tex. Educ. Code §11.252 https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.11.htm

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Youth Suicide Early Intervention and Prevention Expansion Act of 2004

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Youth Suicide Early Intervention and Prevention Expansion Act of 2004

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42 U.S.C. § 290bb–36a

Grants are awarded to organizations implementing suicide intervention and prevention strategies.  Under this agreement, organizations must

provide timely assessment, treatment, or referral for individuals with mental health or concerned suicide-risk,

integrate suicide prevention programs which include a variety of health services, and

raise community awareness of suicide prevention while offering information and needed services.

Youth Suicide Early Intervention and Prevention Expansion Act, 42 U.S.C. § 290bb–36a (2004). http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:42%20section:290bb-36a%20edition:prelim)

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After the suicide of a college student at MIT, the court ruled that colleges, universities, private, and public schools possess a duty to implement reasonable measures to help prevent student suicide but are not held responsible for student suicide.

Nguyen v. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 479 Mass. 436 (2018).  https://law.justia.com/cases/massachusetts/supreme-court/2018/sjc-12329.html

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The ASCA Ethical Code of Standards for School Counselors presents several ethical codes which hold importance when dealing with suicidal students.  The ASCA explicitly states in code A.9.a that school counselors will inform parents/guardians or proper authorities if a student expresses hurting themselves or others (ASCA, 2016).  Code A.10. b and c continue to explain that counselors will use a risk assessment with the student and will not release the student from their care if they deem the student a threat to themselves or other (ASCA, 2016).

When dealing with a suicidal student, the school counselor must inform the parents or guardian of the information the student shared.  If the counselor believes the student is in immediate danger of hurting themselves, the student is to stay with the counselor until appropriate help (parents or authorities) arrive.

American School Counselor Association.  (2016).  ASCA Ethical standards
for school counselors. Retrieved from  https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/f041cbd0-7004-47a5-ba01-3a5d657c6743/Ethical-Standards.pdf

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As an educator and counselor, my goal has always been to help and serve students in need.  When dissecting the different laws associated with suicide in youth I happily discovered school districts should be implementing suicide awareness trainings, programs, and  preventions.  Although educators and counselors can not fully control the actions of their students, we hold a very important role in their lives by possessing a duty to implement measures to help prevent suicide.

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This school year, I have contacted three parents related to their child expressing interest in suicide.  These three students did not have a plan in place of how they planned to commit suicide and where not in immediate danger of hurting themselves but these students stayed in my office until their parents arrived to take them for proper counseling.  As an inexperienced school counselor, the ASCA Ethical Code of Standards along with numerous laws have helped to educate me on the proper steps to take with suicidal students.

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Stone, C.  (2018).  Suicide and child abuse reporting.  Retrieved from https://www.ascaschoolcounselor-digital.org/ascaschoolcounselor/july_august_2018/MobilePagedArticle.action?articleId=1410649#articleId1410649

This article published in July/August 2018 by the ASCA focuses on the school counselor's obligation to report possible suicide to parents/guardians of students.

School counselors possess the duty to contact parents explaining the conversation held with a student about suicide (Stone, 2018).

Counselors are required by the ASCA Ethical Code to assess possible suicide students using a risk assessment.

Risk assessments could provide accurate or misleading information due to students withholding information from the counselor.

No matter the results of the assessment, counselors must report information to the parents.

Although counselors promote confidentiality, possible suicide is a time confidentiality can be broken.

Parents must be informed to seek appropriate mental health services.

Counselors must hold themselves to high standards when it comes to suicide even though they can not be held legally responsible.

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Suicide serves as a scary but serious topic for educators and counselors.  The following recommendations and best practices help counselors meet the needs and requirements when dealing with students at risk of suicide.

Take all suicide situations/discussions seriously.

Ask the hard questions (Do you have a plan? How long have you considered suicide?)

Conduct a risk assessment

Explain the importance of sharing this information with parents to the student

Always contact parents no matter the results of the risk assessment or "gut feelings"

Never leave a student unattended who is considered at risk of harming themselves (this includes sending a student home unsupervised)

Share local mental health facility information and licensed professional counselors information with parents

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Danna Lewis represents North Hopkins ISD as the District Counselor.  The topic of suicide serves as a very important topic to her.  NHISD had a high school student who took his own life and Mrs. Lewis continually looks for things she could have done differently or signs she could have seen.  Because of this, she takes all possible students at risk of suicide seriously.  She continued to explain youth suicide statistics continually go up each year and she feels technology plays into this scary situation.  Mrs. Lewis expressed she sees at least one student a week for suicide issues.  She said it is not always a new student but also students who have expressed considering suicide several times.

During our discussion, she recommended the following practices and expressed she follows these rules each time a student comes to her considering or mentioning suicide, no matter how many times she has spoken with the student.

Take suicide talk serious

Ask the hard questions so the student feels the weight being lifted (meaning ask if the students have a plan, how long have they considered suicide, have they tried already)

Always call the parents (breach confidentiality and let the parents know their child is experiencing suicidal thoughts whether you feel the student is serious or not)

Monitor students closely (even seemingly happy students can consider suicide)

Mrs. Lewis feels that our school district complies with legal ligations by working to implement prevention policies and educate staff on how to handle and refer students to the counselors.  She also feels it is important to let school staff know how the counselor will handle suicide referrals.  She continually encourages staff to watch for possible signs of suicide in students and to take all information seriously.  She expressed worry that we will continue to see a rise in students at risk for suicide even in the lower elementary grades due to social media and covid-19.

Danna Lewis
District Counselor
North Hopkins ISD
https://www.northhopkins.net/118563_2

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Children’s Mental Health Emergencies Skyrocketed After COVID-19 Hit. What Schools Can Do

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Children’s Mental Health Emergencies Skyrocketed After COVID-19 Hit. What Schools Can Do

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Sparks S.  (2020).

Children’s mental health emergencies skyrocketed after COVID-19 hit. What schools can do.  Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/leadership/childrens-mental-health-emergencies-skyrocketed-after-covid-19-hit-what-schools-can-do/2020/11

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic the Center for Disease Control showed an increase in youth emergency visits related to mental health issues.

Suffering from mental health issues causes an increase in suicide risk.

Young children are experiencing stress, anxiety, and panic due to the pandemic.

Many youth are isolated at home without interaction with individuals outside of immediate family.

In 2017, youth suicide levels were at an all time high.

Children as young as 9 years of age have expressed interest in killing themselves.

Even through remote learning, teachers and counselors must continue to check in on students mental health and wellbeing.

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37 T.A.C. §351.13

This Texas Administrative Code focuses on youth suicide and requires facilities to do the following

have a written suicide prevention plan

distinguish between high, medium, and low risk

possess a screening methodology

plan for communication

supervision levels

how to intervene and report

training procedures

37 T.A.C. §351.13
https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=37&pt=11&ch=351&rl=13

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While researching local administrative laws relating to suicide for school districts in my area, I discovered most local school districts did not have a plan included in their employee handbook or student code of conduct.  My school district, North Hopkins ISD, does not address this topic in our Employee Handbook or Student Code of Conduct.  Our Employee Handbook encourages educators to act in the best interest of the students and follow TEA Code of Conduct.

Sulphur Springs ISD (a 4A school district 15 minutes away) addresses the topic of suicide directly in their Student Code of Conduct.   They explain how they provide suicide prevention and intervention training to staff members.  Counselors work to identify at risk students and implement a therapy dog, guidance counseling lessons, crisis teams, and individual counseling.

North Hopkins ISD. (2020-21). Employee Handbook. Retrieved from https://s3.amazonaws.com/scschoolfiles/1073/tasb_model_employee_handbook_2020-1-2.pages

Sulphur Springs ISD. (2020-21). Student Code of Conduct.  Retrieved from  http://schools.ssisd.net/upload/page/0025/SSHS%20Student%20Handbook%202020-2021.pdf

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Finding a constitutional law that aligned with suicide prevention or working with suicidal students proved to be difficult.

The U.S. Constitution expresses that no state shall deprive an individual of life.  As educators and counselors, it is our duty to work to intervene and prevent suicide in our students in order to not deprive them of life. The Fourteenth Amendment serves as the equal protection law.

U.S. Const. amend. XIV.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/amendmentxiv