Suicide Prevention Program at SHS and STEM Academy next week

by Sue Coutinho, LICSW School Social Worker/Adjustment Counselor

On the week of November 10-14  Jennie Macdonald, Lauren Wentworth, Jamie Conners,  Jeanne Reece , and I will be implementing the SOS (Signs of Suicide ) Program in all the 7th and 8th grade Health Classes.

The program is an evidenced based program addressing suicide risk and depression.  Our goal is to help students understand depression is treatable, explain that suicide is preventable, provide training for students on how to identify serious depression and potential suicide in a friend, and to impress upon teens that they can help themselves or a friend by talking to a responsible adult.

The program consists of a 25 minute video, a depression screening, and classroom discussion.

A letter about this program was sent home, in to mail, to all parents. The goal is to keep parents informed about tricky topics and also, to give them a choice about their child’s participation.

To read more, click here.