Legal Guide by Victoria Lathrop https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3 A Legal Guide for Counselors Working With Suicidal Students en-us 2020-02-24 03:19:21 UTC 2026-01-09 02:29:59 UTC hello@padlet.com Slide 1: Professional Perspective vlathrop https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449282410 The content of this legal guide is from my professional perspective as a counselor; this guide is intended to support practicing and prospective school counselors. My field of education is Guidance and Counseling. The topic of working with suicidal students was chosen because of how important and serious the issue is for school counselors.]]> 2020-02-24 03:25:00 UTC https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449282410 Slide 2: Interview vlathrop https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449284193 Insight about working with suicidal students was gained through interviewing Ms. Corey Hume, who currently works as a school counselor at Ojeda Middle School in Austin, Texas.  

Importance:
The topic of working with suicidal students is important within the field of counseling  for several reasons.  Suicidal students are often referred to their school counselors for support, which is why an understanding of the legal and ethical implications surrounding working with suicidal students is so vital.  The consequences of a counselor's action or inaction when dealing with students who are at risk for suicide are great and may play a huge factor in maintaining students' safety.  Counselors have a duty to protect students that are in danger of foreseeable harm.

Best practices:
According to Ms. Hume, best practices for working with suicidal students include:
  • Adhere to district protocols and use district resources when working with suicidal students- examples of district resources available at Ms. Hume's school district include a suicide risk assessment guide and a community resource guide for parents seeking outside counseling services
  • Contact parents regardless of degree of suicide risk
  • Consult with professionals when unsure about what plan of action to take when working with suicidal students

Emerging issue:
An emerging issue related to working with students who are at risk for suicide is that youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (LGBTQ) are more likely than heterosexual youth to contemplate or attempt suicide (Russell, Sinclair, Poteat, & Koenig, 2012).  Since LGBTQ students have a heightened risk for suicide, counselors should be mindful when working with these students and keep up to date with how to enhance their safety.  Current ways that counselors could help support LGBTQ students on their campus include fostering a sense of inclusion by establishing a gay-straight alliance or promoting inclusive curriculum and representation in their school.  Strategies to promote LGBTQ students' safety will likely emerge in the future, which is why it is important that educators watch this issue to see how to better support their students.

Citation:
Russell, S. T., Sinclair, K. O., Poteat, V. P., & Koenig, B. W. (2012). Adolescent health and harassment based on discriminatory bias. American Journal of Public Health, 102(3), 493-495. doi:10.2105/ajph.2011.300430
]]> 2020-02-24 03:31:52 UTC https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449284193 Slide 3: Professional Association vlathrop https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449284378 A resource provided by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) that is informative about youth suicide prevention is ASCA's Model School District Policy on Suicide Prevention.  This resource provides important information about school-based mental health supports, risk factors, best practices, and resources for supporting students who are at risk for suicide.  

Citation: 
American School Counselor Association. (n.d.). Model school district policy on suicide prevention. Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/home/ModelPolicySuicidePrevention.pdf]]> 2020-02-24 03:32:38 UTC https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449284378 Slide 4: Current News Article vlathrop https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449289144 The article "As Teen Suicide Rate Increases, States Look to Schools to Address Crisis" focuses on the need for schools to provide effective suicide prevention policies.  
Summary:
  • The suicide rate among American youth has increased by approximately 70 percent in the past decade (Walker, 2018).
  • Mental health conditions are associated with an increased risk for suicide (Walker, 2018).
  • The state of California has passed a law in 2013 that requires schools to develop a suicide prevention policy.
  • Suicide prevention policies are required to provide strategies and resources to address suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.
Citation: 
Walker, T. (2018). As teen suicide rate increases, states look to schools to address crisis. Retrieved from http://neatoday.org/2018/05/14/teen-suicide-prevention/

]]> 2020-02-24 03:50:25 UTC https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449289144 Slide 5: Current News Article vlathrop https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449289398 A recent article by Sawsan Morrar details an incident involving the failure to report a student's suicidal outcry to her parents.
Summary:
  • A student reported her plan to take her own life to the school principal and counselor.
  • The student subsequently took her own life.
  • The parents of the student filed a negligence lawsuit against the school for failing to notify them of their child's plan.
Link to article:https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/education/article236652263.html

Citation:
Morrar, S. (2019). Parents sue Yuba City school district, saying it failed to relay daughter's suicide plan. Retrieved from https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/education/article236652263.html
]]> 2020-02-24 03:51:26 UTC https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449289398 Slide 6: Original Source of Law vlathrop https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449289510 Tex. Educ. Code § 38.351

Source of Law: Statutory
Summary:
  • Schools must provide and annually update a list of best practices and programs to implement to prevent youth suicide.
  • Prevention programs must include training on how to recognize students at risk for suicide, effectively intervene, and assist students in returning to school following their treatment.
]]> 2020-02-24 03:51:53 UTC https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449289510 Slide 7: Original Source of Law vlathrop https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449291312 19 TAC § 153.1013

Source of Law: Administrative
Summary:
  • School districts must provide suicide prevention training for all new educators.
  • Suicide prevention training must occur during new employee orientation.
  • All existing employees will also be required to complete suicide prevention training.
]]> 2020-02-24 03:57:39 UTC https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449291312 Slide 8: Original Source of Law vlathrop https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449292115 42 USC § 290bb

Source of Law: Statutory
Summary:
  • Suicide prevention program includes timely risk assessment.
  • Program includes treatment for mental health concern.
  • Program includes potential referral resources for outside services.

]]> 2020-02-24 04:00:36 UTC https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449292115 Slide 9: Original Source of Law vlathrop https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449293072 Rogers v. Christina School Dist., 2012 WL 1415623, at *6 (Del.Super., Jan. 18, 2012).

Source of Law: Judicial
Summary: 
  • Courts ruled that schools are not held liable for suicide that occurs off campus.
  • Courts ruled that schools can be held liable for the death of a student by suicide if an educator fails to notify the student’s parents of a crisis situation, such as a suicidal outcry.

]]> 2020-02-24 04:04:08 UTC https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449293072 Slide 10: Local Administrative Policy vlathrop https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449293830 Manor Independent School District (MISD) is committed to partnering with parents to support the mental health of its students.  MISD urges concerned parents to reach out to your child's school counselor for resources and information related to suicide prevention.  MISD requires employees to notify parents or guardians with concerns related to suicidal ideation or outcries in a timely manner.

Citation:
Manor Independent School District. (2019). Parent and student handbook. Retrieved from https://www.manorisd.net/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=2037&dataid=2165&FileName=Parent%20and%20Student%20Handbook.pdf]]> 2020-02-24 04:07:01 UTC https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449293830 Slide 11: Ethical Principle vlathrop https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449296869 One item in ASCA's Ethical Standards for School Counselors related to working with suicidal students is the duty of school counselors to inform parents or guardians when a student poses a risk of foreseeable harm.  Informing parents when their child may be at risk of suicide and ensuring students' safety is the ethical responsibility of a school counselor.

Citation:
American School Counselor Association. (2016). ASCA ethical standards for school counselors. Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Ethics/EthicalStandards2016.pdf]]> 2020-02-24 04:19:37 UTC https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449296869 Slide 12: Non-Law Source vlathrop https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449298843 A website that can help school counselors learn about working with suicidal students is texassuicideprevention.org. This informative website provides training options related to youth suicide prevention, strategies to help suicidal students, the numbers of various crisis hotlines, and other helpful resources related to suicide prevention.

Citation: Texas Suicide Prevention. (2020). Retrieved from https://texassuicideprevention.org

]]> 2020-02-24 04:28:03 UTC https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449298843 Slide 13: Best Practices vlathrop https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449298888 The best practices for counselors working with suicidal students include:
  • Adhere to district protocols.
  • Always notify parents when students are at risk for suicide.
  • Maintain and update school suicide prevention policy.
  • Train all educators on suicide prevention.
  • Provide students and parents with various resources regarding suicide prevention and treatment.
  • Seek consultation from other professionals when unsure about what actions to take when working with suicidal students.
  • Take all suicidal outcries seriously.

]]> 2020-02-24 04:28:17 UTC https://padlet.com/vlathrop/p5i262t5uhn3/wish/449298888