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SUICIDE PREVENTION EDUCATION GUIDELINES

(page down to SUICIDE PREVENTION AND CRISIS RESPONSE PROTOCOL)

I. PURPOSE

ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½¿ª½± is committed to the safety and health of all members of the University community. The purpose for Suicide Prevention Education Guidelines is to ensure that members of the ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½¿ª½± community are provided with educational opportunities, informational components, and outreach activities and events for suicide prevention education.

II.  CAMPUS EDUCATION EFFORTS

Maintain a Suicide Prevention Education Committee consisting of students, faculty and staff who will ensure compliance in training, programming, education and outreach by coordinating the tasks in the Suicide Prevention Education Guidelines.

III. CRISIS INTERVENTION INFORMATION

Students and employees will receive crisis intervention access information and mental health program resource information at the beginning of each semester including but not limited to: guidelines for referral, assistance and immediate assistance; 24-hour assistance resources; and campus, local and national resources. This information will be distributed through various means which may include web pages, campus news sources and literature distribution.

1) Inform faculty, staff and students on crisis intervention access that includes national, state and local suicide prevention hotlines as well as the intervention functions of Viking Shield.

2) Inform faculty, staff and students on locally accessible mental health programs that includes clinics, campus student health services and campus counseling services.

3) Provide all incoming students with information on mental health services, support networks and student organizations that address mental health topics including depression, anxiety, stress and suicide prevention.

IV. EDUCATIONAL COMPONENTS

Students and employees will receive educational material and training opportunities that focus on identifying suicide warning signs, protocols for helping someone in a mental health crisis, campus support networks, local support resources and peer helper programs.

1) Distribute appropriate multimedia application information supported and/or developed from respective and credible sources such as the Jed Foundation and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center that are comprehensive and focus on educational components, helping components, national hotlines, local hotlines, suicide warning signs and local resource information.

2) Provide student and employee training that will help participants identify someone in crisis, engage with them appropriately and find assistance.

3) Brand a campus suicide prevention message that utilizes safe messaging techniques in the delivery.

4) Develop a multifaceted collaborative educational campaign during Suicide Prevention Week.

V. OUTREACH

Maintain Suicide Prevention Education outreach and engagement efforts that encourages support from the student community, campus professional community and the wider public.

1) Create a dedicated web page for Suicide Prevention efforts on campus

2) Utilize national and local initiatives to support on campus efforts

3) Collaborate to further initiatives with on campus constituents that includes but is not limited to student organizations, academic departments, centers, etc.

4) Establish and maintain partnerships with local, community resources

5) Provide printed material (brochures, etc.)

6) Maintain a dedicated student program that focuses on student mental health issues

SUICIDE PREVENTION AND CRISIS RESPONSE PROTOCOL

I. PURPOSE

ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½¿ª½± is committed to the safety and health of all members of the University community.  The purpose of the Suicide Prevention Protocol is to provide members of the University community tools to respond to someone who may be considering suicide.

II. SUICIDE WARNING SIGNS

According to the , people who kill themselves exhibit one or more warning signs, either through what they say or what they do. The more warning signs, the greater the risk.

A.  Talk:  If a person talks about:

• Killing themselves
• Having no reason to live
• Being a burden to others
• Feeling trapped
• Unbearable pain

B. Behavior:  A person’s suicide risk is greater if a behavior is new or has increased, especially if it’s related to a painful event, loss, or change.

• Increased use of alcohol or drugs
• Looking for a way to kill themselves, such as searching online for materials or means
• Acting recklessly
• Withdrawing from activities
• Isolating from family and friends
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Visiting or calling people to say goodbye
• Giving away prized possessions
• Aggression

C. Mood:  People who are considering suicide often display one or more of the following moods:

• Depression
• Loss of interest
• Rage
• Irritability
• Humiliation
• Anxiety

III. RESPONDING TO A THREAT OF SUICIDE

A. Suicide Attempt

1) If a person is attempting suicide, or you believe that they will attempt suicide, immediately call 911. 

2) If the person is a student, faculty or staff member, and you are off campus and reached a local police department, call the ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½¿ª½± Police Department at 216-687-2020 and request that the Police Department call the Administrator on Call to report the incident. The Administrator on Call will be able to provide the student academic accommodations and additional resources.

B. Threats of Suicide

If someone tells you that they are considering suicide or displays significant warning signs of suicide, take the threat very seriously.

1) If you are with the person:

(i) Stay with them to keep them safe.

(ii) During working hours when the University is open, offer to walk them to the University Counseling Center, 1836 Euclid Avenue, UN 220.  If they do not want to go to the Counseling Center, suggest that you call the Counseling Center together, 216-687-2277.

(iii) If it is after working hours, or the University is closed, offer to take the person to a hospital or offer to ask the police to take them to the hospital. 

2) If you are not with the person:

(i) Ask the person where they are.

(ii) Call the police and tell them the person has threatened to commit suicide. Someone who says that they will go to the hospital may change their mind, so do not rely on a statement by them that they will seek immediate help.

(iii) If the person is a student and you are off campus and reached a local police department, call the ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½¿ª½± Police Department, 216-687-2020, and request that the Police Department call the Administrator on Call to report the incident.  The Administrator on Call will be able to provide the student academic accommodations and additional resources.

C.      Suicidal Thoughts

If a person is not threatening suicide, but is exhibiting one or more of the warning signs, don’t keep this information to yourself. 

1) Seek help for a student by contacting the Student Affairs Division or by walking them over to the Counseling Center, 1836 Euclid Avenue, UN 220, or encouraging them to call the Counseling Center 216-687-2277.

2) Seek help for a faculty or staff member through , a third-party provider of counseling and other services, by calling 800-227-6007, 24 hours a day, 356 days a year.

3) Additional community resources can be accessed through the Counseling Center and include St. Vincent’s Hospital, 2351 East 22^nd Street, for psychiatric emergencies. 

IV.        CONFIDENTIALITY

The University’s Counseling Center is a confidential resource, which means that it will not share information that a student provides without the student’s permission, except in a health or safety emergency. Similarly, information shared with IMPACT Solutions, the University’s third-party provider of counseling for employees, will not be shared with the Department of Human Resources or an employee’s supervisor, unless a health or safety emergency exists that warrants the sharing of this information.