Gooding Joint School District #231

STUDENTS                                                                                                                               3530

Suicide

While the District has a responsibility to notify a student’s parent/guardian regarding any known changes in the student’s mental, physical, or emotional health or well-being, neither a school district nor a teacher has a duty to warn of the suicidal tendencies of a student absent the teacher’s or school district’s knowledge of direct evidence of such suicidal tendencies. The Board directs the Superintendent or their designee to draft and implement procedures relating to:

1. Suicide prevention;
2. Suicide intervention; and
3. Suicide postvention.

“Postvention” shall mean counseling or other social care given to students after another student’s suicide or attempted suicide.

These procedures may include, but are not limited to, the following measures:

1. Prevention:

1. Offering and providing help and assistance, including early identification;
2. Support and/or counseling by school support personnel for low-risk students;
3. Referral to appropriate sources outside the school for high and moderate-risk students;
4. The designation of a District-level and/or school level suicide prevention coordinator(s) by the Superintendent to be responsible for planning and coordinating the implementation of procedures addressing suicide.
5. Encouraging staff to report to the coordinator students they believe may be at elevated risk of suicide.
6. Education of students on suicide prevention through age-appropriate curriculum.
7. Small group suicide prevention programming.
8. Offering resources to parents/guardians on suicide prevention.

1. Intervention:

1. Contacting the parents/guardians of students identified as at imminent risk of suicide.
2. Contacting emergency services to assist a student who is at imminent risk of suicide.
3. Providing first aid until emergency personnel arrive, as appropriate.
4. Moving other students away from the immediate area of any suicide attempt on District property or at a District event.

1. Postvention:

1. After care support by the school for faculty, staff, and students after a sudden death has occurred.
2. The development of a plan for responding to a death by suicide that has a significant impact on the school community.
3. Notification of the suicide prevention coordinator, if applicable.
4. The creation of a crisis team to respond to deaths by suicide that have a significant impact on the school community.
5. Contacting the State Department of Education to report any student deaths by suicide and to seek postvention assistance and/or resources.
6. Offering mental health services to students likely to be strongly affected by a recent death.
7. Appointing a spokesperson to handle inquiries related to issues involving suicide in the District.

Following notification of District staff of a suicide attempt by a student or following the identification of a student as being at imminent risk of suicide, the building principal may require a note from the student’s doctor or counselor stating that it is the doctor or counselor’s opinion that the student is ready to return to school. The student and their parent/guardian may meet with the principal, counselor and/or social worker to create a plan for the student’s return to school, including any appropriate accommodations needed by the student.

District personnel shall attend to the rights of the student and their family.

The District shall comply with all requirements of State law and administrative rules for training by personnel on suicide prevention and awareness. This includes providing annual professional development to staff involved in preventing, intervening, and responding to suicide on:

1. School philosophy regarding school climate and the promotion of protective factors;
2. Data on suicide for the region or state, or both;
3. Risk and protective factors for students;
4. Suicide myths and facts;
5. How to develop community partnerships related to suicide prevention;
6. How to utilize safe and appropriate language and messaging when addressing students;
7. Warning signs of suicide ideation for students;
8. Local and school-based protocols for aiding a suicidal individual;
9. Local protocols for seeking help for self and students;
10. Identification of appropriate mental health services and community resources for referring students and their families;
11. Information about state statutes on responsibility, liability, and duty to warn;
12. Confidentiality issues;
13. The need to ask others directly if they are suicidal; and
14. Evidence-based protocol for responding to a student or staff suicide.

Legal References:       IC § 33-136                             Suicide Prevention in Schools           

                                    IC § 33-512B                          District Trustees — Suicidal Tendencies — Duty to Warn

                                    IC § 33-6001                           Parental Rights

                                    IDAPA 08.02.02.112              Suicide Prevention in Schools

                                    IDAPA 08.02.03.160              Safe Environment and Discipline

Policy History:

Adopted on: 7-17-2012

Revised on: 11-13-2008, 11-15-2022, 8-8-23

Reviewed on: