• _{The goal of education is to inspire students to continue learning so they can apply skills and develop into who they strive to be. School counselors use a comprehensive counseling program to meet the academic, social, emotional, and post-secondary needs of diverse students. Educators and counselors should be advocates and invested in the well-being of all students.} 
• _{The purpose of the Padlet is to educate teachers about legal technicalities of identifying and working with students who self-harm and have suicidal ideation.} 
• _{This topic was chosen because self-harm and suicide ideation is a major topic for within education. It is essential for teachers to be informed and understand the signs and legal obligations and consequences when they suspect or know a student is participating in self-harm behavior.} 

• _{Always consult with other counselor colleagues} 
• _{Use the Colombia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (CSSR)}
• _{Call and communicate with parents}

• _{The American Counseling Association published "'13 Reasons Why": Strengths, Challenges, and Recommendations" to emphasizes the seriousness of suicide and stresses the importance of training staff how to respond to self-harm/suicide.} 
• _{The article also lists recommendations for working with students such as being an active listener, implementing more screenings and trainings for staff, shifting school culture, and using a research based intervention model (Lin, Porter, Shannonhouse, & Whisenhunt, 2017).} 

• _{Flemming's (2020) article tells the story of how 3 students from the same area in California died from suicide. These deaths raised question about  how to respond, so the Clovis District staff decided to expand mental health awareness to teachers, parents, and students to improve mental health wellness and awareness.  Actions taken in response to the suicides were hosting parent nights, training teachers about warning signs, assigning campuses suicide prevention teams, and having conversations about self-harm/suicide.}
• _{This articles explains how a the Clovis school district responded by using parents, teachers, students, counselors, and outside resources to implement a self-harm/suicide intervention program. (Flemming, 2020).}
• _{With the success of this response plan, these strategies can be used across other campuses to create a self-harm/suicide prevention program, curriculum, and culture to deter students from self-harm and encourage struggling students to seek help. This requires a team effort and participation from parents, teachers, students, counselors, and outside resources.}

_{Loss—and hope—after a cluster of student suicides. Edutopia. Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/article/loss-and-hope-after-cluster-student-suicides}

• _{Carey (2019) reports statistics that self-harm is increasing among adolescents, and is a predictor for suicide later on in life.} 
• _{Cary (2019) reports research illustrates that talk therapy has shown to be effective in breaking the self-harm habit.} 
• _{Talk therapy in one-on-one or group sessions has shown success because it allows students to learn healthy coping skills to manage anxiety, stress, etc.} 
• _{Because self-harm is becoming more and more prevalent among  adolescents, this article explains the effectiveness of talk-therapy and school counselors can incorporate it with students.}

• _{Statutory law} 
• _{Defines “serious incidents” that threatens the heath, safety, or well-being of a student. Serious threats include arrest, abuse, neglect, exploitation, running away, attempted suicide, or death of a child.} 
• _{The licensed professional must report to the state system and the guardian the incident of abuse, neglect, exploitation, injury, or illness of the child.} 

• _{Constitutional Law}
• _{The Texas Education code states that all students are provided counseling services to develop the child academically, socially, and emotionally.} 
• _{It also states that counselors are required to plan, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive counseling program that meets the needs of diverse students.} 

• _{Administrative Law}
• _{FERPA protects the privacy of students' education records.} 
• _{School counselors use FERPA to maintain confidentiality with students unless it involves abuse, self-harm, foreseeable harm to self or others, or if it a required from a court order.} 

• _{Judicial law} 
• _{Court case was the first to be filed against school counselors.} 
• _{In 1991, a 13 year old student mentioned to another student that she wanted to kill herself. The student she told reported it to the counselors. The counselors called the student in for questioning, but denied the suicidal comment. The counselors believed that she was safe and not threatened. Days later, the student ended up committing suicide.} 
• _{Her parents sued the school for failing to informing them of the suicide comment.} 
• _{The state court found that the counselors were partially responsible for the suicide because they failed to take further actions to ensure suicide prevention.}
• _{After this court case, districts are implementing a policy to inform parents about their child’s suicidal ideation.} 

• _{Statutory law} 
• _{This requires Texas school districts to develop suicide prevention programs.} 
• _{It also requires districts to report and annually update their best methods of practice in all public school levels.} 
• _{It requires appropriate training to staff members, including teachers, librarians, instructional aids, etc., to detect the early warning signs of self-harm and how to act effectively.} 
• _{The sections within this law are to develop an effective counseling program in all districts to promote positive mental health, recognizing warning signs, and implement interventions for students that are at risk for self-harm and suicide.} 

• _{"Counselors act to avoid harming their clients, trainees, and research participants and to minimize or to remedy unavoidable or unanticipated harm" (American School Counselor Association, 2014, p.4)}
• _{Counselors are obligated and required to ensure the safety, prevent harm, and intervene when a student is potentially at-risk for harm.}
• _{If counselors do not take action if they suspect a student is in harm, then they can be held legally responsible and suffer the consequences.} 

• _{The text crisis line for self-harm is a informational website for anyone who is interested in learning about what self-harm is, the different forms, symptoms, and how to handle it.} 
• _{It also covers why people self-injure, effects, and recovering from self-harm.}
• _{Text-crisis line for self-harm is very resourceful to professionals, parents, etc. who work with students and need to inform themselves about aspects of self-harm. It also provides a text code for individuals to immediately receive help and connect with a counselor.} 

• _{Consult with other counselors/ colleagues} 
• _{Use the Colombia-Suicide Severity Rating scale (CSSR) screening questionnaire for students if they make an outcry}
• _{Must ask for compliance from students and their parents. If the parent does not agree after 3-4 attempts, then consult with other counselors that could eventually lead to calling CPS}
• _{Utilize a calm down area or relaxation station to help teach students to find and use healthy coping methods}
• _{Teach and promote socio-emotional learning}
• _{Attend self-harm trainings/workshops} 
• _{If a school personnel suspects self-harm, they must report it immediately that day. 
  If the counselor is not available then, contact administration.}  
• _{Create a crisis intervention team}
• _{Have a written protocol and guidelines to help educators make strategic decisions and meet legal requirements}