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The Padlet will cover 'Working with Suicidal Students' from a K-12 counseling perspective. The audience addressed is for other school counselors. The topic was chosen because of the high need for school counselors to be equipped with strategies when working with suicidal students. Student lives are literally on the line when working with suicidal students so it is important for school counselors to be prepared. School counselors must fully understand what techniques are the most effective in supporting suicidal students. In addition, school counselors must be aware of the laws that help support suicidal students.

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1) Effectively working with suicidal students is vital to students' safety. Suicidal students are vulnerable and need school counselors who are equipped and prepared to provide adequate support. If a school counselor is not prepared, they could potentially harm the student even more, causing the student to be more likely to commit suicide. With the outbreak of COVID-19, students are experiencing new factors causing more reasons to be susceptible to suicidal thoughts.

2) The three best practices when working with suicidal students is to:
- Validate the suicidal student's thoughts and emotions by explaining that life can be difficult.
- Reassure that help will be provided to the student; the suicidal ideations do not have to be permanent.
- Remind the student that he/she is not alone. Several students suffer from suicidal ideations and have successfully worked towards diminishing the suicidal ideations.

3) With the pandemic causing new changes in students' routines, researchers are attempting to analyze how these changes are affecting youth suicide rates. Research will need to continue to be conducted to gain a full understanding. However, researchers believe it is likely that more students have had suicidal ideations during the pandemic. Restrictions on leaving the house, attending school, and going to typical public facilities could very well cause more students to have suicidal ideations.

4) An interview was conducted with the school counselor at Olympia Elementary School, Aimee Hadas, on September 9th, 2020. Hadas has been a school counselor for 5 years and has a wide array of experience in working with suicidal students. Two links to Hadas' bio is provided below: https://www.judsonisd.org/Page/19349
https://www.smore.com/12zjh-converse-elementary-judson-isd

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American School Counselor Association (2018). The school counselor and suicide prevention/awareness. Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/PositionStatements/PS_Suicide.pdf

The resource provided addresses the school counselor's role in suicide prevention and awareness. School counselors must help identify suicide warning signs in students and ensure that the school has prevention methods in place. School counselors must also be familiar with the resources available to help suicidal students.

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Prothero, A. (2020). 'A punch to the gut': Dealing with suicide in a pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/06/19/a-punch-to-the-gut-dealing-with.html

The article above covers several issues of the relationship between suicide and the pandemic, including:
- Student suicides are remaining prevalent during the pandemic because of the lack of comfort from the students' friends and their school.
- Families must be aware of the resources provided for their children if they are experiencing suicidal ideations.
- Families must understand how to talk to their children about suicide.
- Schools must find ways to use suicide prevention methods virtually.

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Blad, E. (2018). This high school takes an active role in suicide prevention. Retrieved from https://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rulesforengagement/2018/11/watch_this_school_takes_an_active_role_in_suicide_prevention.html

The article above addresses the methods of suicide prevention from one high school. The methods include:
- School counselors explicitly teaching students about suicide and how to identify warning signs in self and peers.
- School counselors hosting events with students to build a positive school climate.
- Students volunteering to be on "lollipop crew" where they hand out encouraging messages attached to lollipops to all students on campus.
- Seniors meeting with the freshmen about school stressors to build a sense of community.

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Slide 7 - Original Source of Law (Judicial)

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Slide 7 - Original Source of Law (Judicial)

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Source of Law: Judicial
Citation: Eisel v. Board of Education, 324 MD 367 (1991).
Link: https://casetext.com/case/eisel-v-board-of-education

In this case, the Court of Appeals of Maryland decided:
-School counselors have a duty to notify parents if the school counselor becomes aware that the student is experiencing suicidal ideations.

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Slide 6 - Original Source of Law (Federal)

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Slide 6 - Original Source of Law (Federal)

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Source of Law: Federal
Citation: U.S. Const. amend. XIV.
Link: https://www.senate.gov/civics/constitution_item/constitution.htm

The fourteenth amendment states:
-Anyone born in the United States are citizens of the United States.
-No State can make laws that harm the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.
-No State can neglect citizens' rights to life, liberty, or property, without due process.
-No state can deny any citizen the equal protection of the laws.

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Slide 8 - Original Source of Law (Statutory)

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Slide 8 - Original Source of Law (Statutory)

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Source of Law: Statutory
Citation: Texas Education Code § 38.351(e)
Link: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.38.htm

The Texas Education Code states:
-Schools must implement suicide prevention programs that include training for school counselors and all school staff.
-Training should include how to recognize students at risk of suicide and how to intervene effectively with notices and referrals.
-Suicide prevention program must assist students in returning to school after treatment.

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Slide 9 - Original Source of Law (Administrative)

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Slide 9 - Original Source of Law (Administrative)

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Source of Law: Administrative
Citation: Corpus Christi ISD Student Parent Handbook (2020).
Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MsvaUjPnMsKXsRRmG8ol7dtnevuKI6SI/view

The Corpus Christi ISD Student Parent Handbook states:
-The School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) will ensure that local community values are reflected in any policy recommendation made regarding the District’s students’ health.
-The SHAC will meet a minimum of three times during the school year.
-The SHAC will make recommendations for increasing parents’ awareness of warning signs of suicide and mental health risks and community mental health and suicide prevention services.

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Citation: American School Counselor Association. (2016). ASCA code of ethics, A.2.l. Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Ethics/EthicalStandards2016.pdf
Link: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Ethics/EthicalStandards2016.pdf

"School counselors: Convey a student’s highly sensitive information (e.g., a student’s suicidal ideation) through personal contact such as a phone call or visit and not less-secure means such as a notation in the educational record or an e-mail. Adhere to state, federal and school board policy when conveying sensitive information" (ASCA, 2016, A.2.l).

The ethical principle above clarifies that when school counselors work with suicidal students, the school counselors must deliver the information to appropriate stakeholders with a great deal of sensitivity. School counselors should strive to meet parents or school staff in person to discuss the student's suicidal ideations. In addition, to secure the student's private information, details of the suicidal ideations should not be used in educational records or emails.

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Slide 10 - Local Administrative Law/Policy/Rule

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Slide 10 - Local Administrative Law/Policy/Rule

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Citation:
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (2015). Summary of higher education legislation: SB 1624. Retrieved from http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/DocID/PDF/6793.PDF
Link: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/DocID/PDF/6793.PDF

The policy states:
-Texas schools must provide all full-time students information on mental health and suicide prevention services. In addition, information on intervention for those considering suicide must be provided.

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Citation: Erbacher, T. A., Singer, J. B., & Poland, S.  (2014). Suicide in schools: A practitioner's guide to multi-level prevention, asssessment, intervention, and postvention (School-based practice in sction). Abingdon, UK: Routledge & CRC Press.

Link: https://www.routledge.com/Suicide-in-Schools-A-Practitioners-Guide-to-Multi-level-Prevention-Assessment/Erbacher-Singer-Poland/p/book/9780415857031

This book includes information on step-by-step guidelines on:
-The best practices for creating a crisis intervention team on campus.
-How to identify students who are likely to be at risk of suicide.
-Providing support to the community after the losing a student to suicide.

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Slide 13 - Bulleted list of Recommendations / Best Practices for Compliance

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Slide 13 - Bulleted list of Recommendations / Best Practices for Compliance

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When working with suicidal students, school counselors should:

1. Proactively implement the school's suicide prevention program.
2. Include training to all school counselors, staff, and students on identifying warning signs for suicide.
3. Upon identifying warning signs, directly ask the student if they have considered suicide.
4. Upon knowledge of suicidal ideations, notify student's parents, law enforcement agencies, and campus administration as soon as possible.
5. Reassure the student that help will be provided and the student is not alone.
6. After responding to the crisis using the steps above, follow-up with the student and all stakeholders within 48 hours.
7. Continuously ensure that all students on campus receive adequate support for suicide prevention.