Legal Guide by Allison Bayles https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14 Legal and Ethical Principles, Angelo State University en-us 2022-02-22 02:23:20 UTC 2022-03-02 19:06:22 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/2696.png Slide 1. Professional Perspective/Audience/Topic abayles2 https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059683308           Suicide prevention is one of the most important resources that school counselor's can provide to students, parents, school staff, and the community. Since the start of the 2019 pandemic, more students have struggled with mental health and suicidal thoughts than ever before. For that reason, this legal guide has been created as a helpful resource to school counselors and stakeholders.

]]> 2022-02-22 02:29:19 UTC https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059683308 Slide 2. Interview with a School Counselor abayles2 https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059684397           In an interview with Beth Yockey, school counselor at Polly Ryon Middle School, she shared her thoughts about why suicide prevention is so important in schools. Yockey believes that teaching students about suicide prevention and helping them to identify their own feelings is a major key to helping them develop good mental health. She states, "Our director of school counseling tells us not to shy away from the hard words, like suicide, or death" (personal communication, February 24, 2022). She says that kids need to learn those terms and understand what they mean so that they can help themselves  or a friend if they begin to experience any of those feelings" (personal communication, B. Yockey, February 24, 2022). Yockey feels that it is so important for the school counselor to promote suicide prevention so that students know who to come to should they ever need help (personal communication, February 24, 2022).
          Yockey states that Texas requires school districts to provide suicide prevention training to school counselors and educators on a yearly basis. School counselors in LCISD complete their training before the start of each school year (personal communication, February 24, 2022). 
          Yockey recommends the following best practices for school counselors regarding suicide prevention: 
  • Guidance lessons on suicide prevention in early grades, increasing detailed content in 6th-12th grades. Do not assume students know or remember every detail related to suicide prevention because they heard it once in an earlier grade. 
  • Provide resources on school website, hotline numbers, counselor's contact information, suicide prevention app for their phones, etc.
  • Conducting small groups for students grieving the loss of a loved one, family separation, divorce, loss of a pet, moving schools, losing friends, etc. (personal communication, February 24, 2022).
          An area of special concern to school counselors right now is the post-traumatic stress brought on by the pandemic. A recent situation she shared was of a 6th grade student who was virtual last year and reached out to her English teacher that she was hurting herself and that she didn't know why she was living. The teacher reached out to the school counselor, who then called the parents. The girl's parents found a lot of self-harming items in her room and got her into a treatment facility. At the counselor's recommendation, the parents agreed to allow the student back on campus and witnessed improvement in her. The student reported feeling safe with access to the school counselors and being able to be around her friends and teachers (personal communication, B. Yockey, February 24, 2022).
          Yockey says that she is still seeing a lot of mental health issues associated with that time of social distancing. Many students are not aware of the trauma that they experienced during that time period, or that their feelings are normal and acceptable, and they are still suffering silently (personal communication, February 24, 2022). The school counselor will need to continue educating and providing resources to students, parents, and the community so that they understand the issues that may arise from that time and that there is ongoing support for them.
          Link to Yockey's school webpage: https://www.lcisd.org/campuses/ryon/about/counselor's-corner  


]]> 2022-02-22 02:29:58 UTC https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059684397 Slide 3. Professional Association abayles2 https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059684848      The American School Counselor Association (2018), provides a great resource for professional school counselors on suicide prevention and the responsibilities of the school counselor. The webpage details the ASCA's position, rationale, the school counselor's role, such as reporting suicidal ideation, and additional resources on the subject. 

American School Counselor Association. (2018). The school  counselor and suicide prevention/awareness.      Schoolcounselor.org. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/Standards-Positions/Position-Statements/ASCA-Position-Statements/The-School-Counselor-and-Suicide-Prevention-Awaren



]]> 2022-02-22 02:30:13 UTC https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059684848 Slide 4. Current News Article abayles2 https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059685404
  • U. S. Senator is pleading with congress to provide more mental health resources for schools in the wake of the pandemic.
  • A psychologist reported a 42% increase in suicide and self-harm cases from 2019-2021.
  • Mental Health Services for Students Act of 2021, was introduced last year and discussed further to gain support.
  • The act would provide grants to schools for more mental health resources on campus to support growing student needs.

    • Ujifusa, A. (2022, February 1). Student mental health is overwhelming schools. Can congress help? Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/student-mental-health-is-overwhelming-schools-can-congress-help/2022/02


    ]]>     2022-02-22 02:30:37 UTC https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059685404     Slide 5. Current News Article #2 abayles2 https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059685647
  • Teen suicide numbers have escalated, but even prior to the pandemic the number of teenagers with a mental health problem had drastically increased.
  • Girls are more likely to attempt suicide, while boys are more likely commit suicide due to their attempts being more fatal. 
  • Not enough resources were available to support student mental health during the pandemic, resulting in greater mental health problems now and in the future. 
  • Some good aspects of mental health have come out of the pandemic: 1. Telehealth providers are able to care for people who are unable to visit a clinic. 2. Teens are more open to having conversations about their mental health. 

    • Klibanoff, E. (2022, February 1). In pandemic's isolation, an alarming number of teenage girls are attempting suicide. Texastribune.org. https://www.texastribune.org/2022/02/01/teenage-girls-suicide-pandemic-covid/
    ]]>     2022-02-22 02:30:50 UTC https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059685647     Slide 6. Source of Law #1 abayles2 https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059686567 Constitutional Law - The United States Constitution

    U.S. Const. amend. X

    https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/amendment-10/

    • Gives individual states power over any entity that is not governed by the federal government of the United States.
    • Each state's educational institutions, and how they are governed, fall under this amendment.  

    ]]>     2022-02-22 02:31:33 UTC https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059686567     Slide 7. Source of Law - #2 abayles2 https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059686878 Statutory Law - Texas Education Code

    2 Tex. Edu. Code § 21.451(d)

    https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.21.htm
    must include training on:

    This section of the Texas Education Code outlines staff development requirements; they must include:
    •  suicide prevention
    • creating a positive environment in schools
    • recognizing bullying and harassment (leading cause of suicidal ideation among students)
    • grief and trauma informed care
    • signs of mental health issues and substance use

    ]]>     2022-02-22 02:31:45 UTC https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059686878     Slide 8. Source of Law #3 abayles2 https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059687211 Judicial Law

    Nguyen v. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 96 N.E.2d 128 (2018).

    https://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentId=22526

    • School counselors and psychologists have a duty to report suicidal intention of a student and seek additional help for them.
    • School counselors must take any suicidal ideation by a student very seriously. 
    • Adult students have a right to privacy; they may choose to not have their parent notified, but the school counselor still is obligated to notify proper authorities/mental health professionals.
    • The school counselor may be help liable for negligence if they learn of a student's suicidal intention and do not report it. 
    ]]>     2022-02-22 02:31:58 UTC https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059687211     Slide 9. Source of Law #4 abayles2 https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059687461 Statutory Law - Texas Administrative Code

    19 Tex. Admin. Code. 2 § 153.1013

    https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=T&app=9&p_dir=P&p_rloc=187943&p_tloc=14861&p_ploc=1&pg=2&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=2&ch=153&rl=1021

    • All Texas public and charter schools must provide suicide prevention training starting with the 2016-2017 school year.
    • Each following year, schools must provide suicide prevention training as part of their new employee orientation. 
    • Training must be provided by a source that is approved by the Texas Education Agency. 
    • Yearly records must be kept of each staff member that attended the training.

    ]]>     2022-02-22 02:32:09 UTC https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059687461     Slide 10. Local Admin. Law/Policy/Rule abayles2 https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059688147    The Campbell County School District has a detailed section of their student handbook dedicated to suicide and suicide prevention. The following policy allows for the district to appoint a special coordinator for suicide prevention throughout the district: 
              "District Policy Implementation: A district level suicide prevention coordinator shall be designated by the Superintendent. The district suicide prevention coordinator will be responsible for disseminating this policy for the school district. Each school principal shall designate a school suicide prevention coordinator(s) to act as a point of contact in each school for issues relating to suicide prevention and policy implementation" (CCSD, 2022, para. 15). 
        The position of suicide prevention coordinator, is not a state requirement, but shows a district's dedication to the serious nature of suicide prevention.
         
    Campbell County School District. (2022). District Policies. 5277-R Suicide Prevention. https://www.ccsd.k12.wy.us/Page/395

    ]]>     2022-02-22 02:32:38 UTC https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059688147     Slide 11. Ethical Principle abayles2 https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059688437       The American School Counselor Association's ethical standards outline specific guidelines for dealing with students that may be a harm to themselves  or others.  Section A, 9(c), states:
          "Do not release a student who is a danger to self or others until the student has proper and necessary support. If parents will not provide proper support, the school counselor takes necessary steps to underscore to parents/guardians the necessity to seek help and at times may include a report to child protective services" (ASCA, 2016, p.4). 
         This ethical standard is important to ensuring a student receives the help they need before they are left alone, and also limits the school counselor's legal liability by decreasing the opportunity for negligence.

    American School Counselor Association. (2016). ASCA ethical standards for school counselors. Schoolcounselor.org. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/f041cbd0-7004-47a5-ba01-3a5d657c6743/Ethical-Standards.pdf 
    ]]>     2022-02-22 02:32:53 UTC https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059688437     Slide 12. Personal Connection to Legal & Ethical Standards abayles2 https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059688937      Studying the legal and ethical standards for school counselors has helped me to understand suicide prevention as a top priority in schools, rather than just an occasional guidance lesson. Students need to be consistently educated about how to deal with their emotions, and what to do should they ever have any feelings of intense sadness, hopelessness, loneliness, or depression. Providing training to students in how to help themselves and others to prevent suicide has become a regular conversation for me as an educator, and will continue in my role as a school counselor. 
          Understanding the legal and ethical standards for school counselors has influenced my educational goals by creating in me a desire to advocate for positive mental health among students. I would like to continue researching ways to implement a culture within a school that encourages students to openly talk about their feelings. Ultimately, my goal is to educate a student body in such a way that suicide prevention is a regular conversation among students and staff and not approached with fear and timidity.  
     

    ]]>     2022-02-22 02:33:17 UTC https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059688937     Slide 13. List of Recommendations/Best Practices abayles2 https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059689490
  • While suicide prevention is a professional development requirement for school staff, it should be presented in such a way that ensures deep understanding of the subject. 
  • Suicide prevention needs to be taught starting in the early grades and continue through high school. 
  • Priority should be given to teaching guidance lessons on dealing with intense emotions. 
  • School counselors should post helpline and suicide prevention hotlines on their website.
  • Students should be shown how to download a suicide prevention app onto their phones during the first week of school. 
  • Parents should be included in the conversations about suicide prevention, and helpful resources, such as conversation cards, should be shared for home use. 
  • Never leave a student unattended who shows any signs of suicidal ideation or self-harm. 
  • The school counselor should never try to diagnose a student or determine if they are suicidal. The role of the school counselor is to report any suicidal ideation to parents and proper authorities. Should a parent refuse to seek professional help for their child, the school counselor must report it to Child Protective Services. 

    • ]]>     2022-02-22 02:33:44 UTC https://padlet.com/abayles2/i2we7yagl94wuz14/wish/2059689490