Florida School Toolkit for K–12 Educators to Prevent Suicide Florida S.T.E.P.S. 1 Published by NSU’s College of Psychology 3301 College Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796 Florida School Toolkit for K–12 Educators to Prevent Suicide Copyright © 2021 The authors and NSU grant permission for all of the tools and forms to be reprinted and used by Florida K-12 schools. An electronic copy of S.T.E.P.S. is posted on the NSU Suicide and Violence Prevention Office website, nova.edu/suicideprevention. Printed in the United States. Florida S.T.E.P.S. 0724-2020RNK Florida School Toolkit for K–12 Educators to Prevent Suicide Florida S.T.E.P.S. Scott Poland, Ed.D. Professor, Nova Southeastern University College of Psychology Director, Nova Southeastern University Suicide and Violence Prevention Office; Author Catherine Ivey, M.S. Doctoral Student, Nova Southeastern University College of Psychology; Contributing Author i Florida S.T.E.P.S. PREFACE The COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented and has opportunity to become Suicide Prevention School created much uncertainty in our lives. It follows that Certified. Considering these changes, Scott Poland, there is apprehension about mounting pressures and Ed.D., and doctoral student Catherine Ivey, M.S., an escalating potential for suicide. Even under normal interviewed key suicide prevention experts and circumstances, youth suicide is an acute concern. stakeholders from across the state before writing this guide. The author and contributor further The Florida School Toolkit for K–12 Educators to recognize there is a statewide Suicide Prevention Prevent Suicide (Florida S.T.E.P.S.) was developed to Coalition, and they reviewed the University of assist schools with suicide prevention, intervention, South Florida guide, created in 2003 and updated and postvention. School administrators and school in 2012, as well as emerging suicide incidence data mental health professionals (SMHPs), including and youth suicide trends. In addition, some of school counselors, social workers, and school the challenges as well as potential opportunities psychologists, are critical leaders in driving suicide presented by social media platforms are explored. prevention efforts. Collaboration between schools and community and state suicide prevention School districts are encouraged to use the tools in resources is also fundamental. Florida S.T.E.P.S. the Florida S.T.E.P.S. in any way that proves helpful. takes a comprehensive approach by including School professionals who are using or have used information, tips, and tools that can help you forge Florida S.T.E.P.S. are asked to share with us their coalitions, adjust or enhance existing plans, or suicide prevention advancements. create new ones. Everyone needs to know that suicide is preventable. Suicide prevention is an ongoing process. Familiarity with legislative changes is key, although they may not all apply to private schools. For example, beginning in the 2019–2020 school year, Senate Bill 7030 requires that Florida schools administer suicide screening before requesting implementation of the Baker Act. The updated Florida legislation also provides schools the iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The following individuals have had significant impact in the field of suicide prevention and were interviewed prior to developing the Florida S.T.E.P.S. We deeply appreciate their insight and have included many of their thoughts and recommendations in this document. Gene Cash, Ph.D. Professor, College of Psychology Nova Southeastern University Frank Zenere, Ed.S. District Coordinator, Student Services and Crisis Management Miami-Dade County Public Schools David Wheeler, Ph.D. Retired School Psychology Consultant, Florida Department of Education Anne Townsend, Ed.S., NCSP Supervisor, Psychological Services, Hillsborough County Public Schools Amy L. Hall, Ph.D. Coordinator, Student and Government Relations Volusia County Schools Stephen Roggenbaum Vice Chair, Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition Charlene M. Grecsek, Ed.D., LMHC Project Coordinator, Multiagency Network for Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities University of South Florida Sofia Castro, Ed.D., CPP Suicide Prevention Specialist, Statewide Office for Suicide Prevention Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH) Florida Department of Children and Families Peter Caproni, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, College of Psychology Nova Southeastern University We also wish to recognize the following Florida organizations, whose support will allow many schools to receive a printed copy of Florida S.T.E.P.S.: Institute for Small and Rural Districts Sol Taplin Charitable Foundation Florida S.T.E.P.S. v ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND CONTRIBUTOR Scott Poland, Ed.D. A professor at the Nova he and his wife, Donna, a former educator and Southeastern University (NSU) school principal, wrote the Texas Suicide Safer College of Psychology in Fort Schools report for the state of Texas, as well as the Lauderdale, Florida, Scott Poland Montana Crisis Action School Toolkit on Suicide is also the director of NSU’s (Montana CAST-S). Suicide and Violence Prevention Poland is a past president of the National Office. He has worked in schools Association of School Psychologists and a as a psychologist and a director past director of the Prevention Division of the of psychological services for 26 years. Poland is American Association of Suicidology. He has still very involved in school crisis response and testified about the mental health needs of children consultation. He has recently provided on-site before the U.S. Congress on four occasions. He has assistance after suicides in several school districts also assisted school communities after 16 school across the nation. As a survivor of the suicide of shootings and after acts of terrorism, natural his father, he is among those who never believed a disasters, and numerous suicide clusters. Most suicide could happen in their own family. recently, he provided suicide prevention training After facing the suicides of several students while attended by personnel representing every school serving as director of psychological services in district in Florida. Additionally, for providing Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District psychological strategic planning and training for in Houston, Texas, Poland became dedicated staff members and parents immediately after to suicide prevention. In 1982, the district the Parkland school shootings, he received the superintendent asked him what he was going to do Helping Parkland Heal Award from the City of about student suicide. Figuring out how to prevent Parkland. Currently, Poland is also helping New youth suicide has been his chief professional Jersey develop a suicide prevention toolkit. priority ever since, and he has presented more than 1,000 times on the topics of school crisis and suicide intervention. A licensed psychologist and an internationally recognized expert on youth suicide and school crisis, Poland has authored and coauthored five books on the subject. His first book,Suicide in Schools, was published in 1989 and has been translated into several languages. Additionally, Florida S.T.E.P.S. Catherine Ivey, M.S. Catherine Ivey is a school which are published in the NSU Suicide and psychology trainee and doctoral Violence Prevention quarterly journal. candidate at Nova Southeastern As part of her educational experience, Ivey has University. She is also a member worked with children in multiple educational of NSU’s Suicide and Violence settings. After being a member of a community Prevention Office. As an that lost multiple individuals to suicide, she undergraduate student leader continues her journey in raising awareness and she contributed to her school’s finding prevention information that can be helpful psychology initiatives and researched depression to her and others. and suicide on her campus at Wofford College. In her graduate education training, Ivey writes articles about suicide prevention and intervention, vii COVID-19 AND TIPS FOR VIRTUAL SUICIDE ASSESSMENT The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant 3. Ask key supervision and stress for all Americans and concerns that the safety-related questions. suicide rate will increase. Suicide rates have a. Where you are physically located? historically increased during pandemics and in times of economic concerns and high unemployment. b. Is a parent present in the home? (If yes, are they in another room?) Questions have been asked about who might be most at-risk for suicide due to the pandemic. For students, c. What is the best way to contact you if we we believe it is likely those with a pre-existing mental lose connection? illness, those who had a loved one die from the virus, and those living in poverty as a result of the virus. Questions like these will help you identify additional COVID-19 resulted in all Florida schools going virtual ways you can connect with a potentially suicidal in the spring of 2020, and many schools reopened student and a parent or guardian. campuses physically in the fall of 2020 with varying 4. Take appropriate action. percentages of students returning to their campus. Many students and families elected to continue with If you determine a student is potentially suicidal, virtual learning, which has always been an option you should immediately contact the parent or through Florida Virtual School. guardian and request that they join the conference, develop a safety plan with the student, make a It is difficult to anticipate how many Florida students referral for community-based services, and ask will continue to learn virtually in the future, and it is the parent to increase supervision and to secure acknowledged that suicide assessment is challenging or remove any lethal means in the home. If the at best and especially challenging when done parent or guardian is not in the home and cannot virtually. Important tips for school personnel are be reached, then contact local law enforcement and outlined here. They are encouraged to review Section request a wellness check on the student. 2 on Intervention in Florida S.T.E.P.S. and use Tools 8, 14a, 14b, 14c, 16, 17, 18, and 19.