5 Mental Health Resources for Schools for Suicide Prevention

September 22, 2023
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As the end of Suicide Prevention Month nears, it is critical to remember the work of suicide prevention and mental health never ends. At Raptor, we will continue to regularly provide resources in the form of blogs, webinars, and podcasts on a variety of different topics that impact student wellbeing.

The following resources are available to help you continue your work in preventing student suicide.

Supporting students—and helping them find support, too

We want to support students 365 days a year and 24 hours a day, but the reality is we can’t do that as educators. What we can do is provide resources for when students are not in school.

1. One of the simplest and most useful resources you should make students aware of is 988.

988 is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Students can call or text 988 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. A network of crisis centers provides free and confidential emotional support to anyone that calls.

2. Schools can also print posters to post on campus through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. By displaying posters throughout the school, students can not only learn about the important resource, but also can see evidence that the campus values them and their mental health.

Supporting your staff as they support your students

Although the focus is on students in education, it is critical that staff mental health is supported.

3. If your school has an employee assistance program (EAP), make sure staff are aware of the benefit and how to access support. In addition, making sure staff are encouraged to take time when needed for mental health concerns is critical.

4. As much as we encourage staff to look for warning signs of mental health struggles in students, staff also should look out for sign in colleagues. When providing mental health training, point out the training is for helping students and staff. Ensure staff know what to do if a colleague is struggling.

Supporting students’ families

When a student is struggling with mental health, families do not always know where to go for information. It is important to provide families with local mental health resources.

5. Informing them of websites to assist them with understanding what is happening. For example:

National Alliance on Mental Illness, provides mental health education and online support groups for family members of someone struggling with mental health concerns. Other informative websites are:
Child Mind Institute Complete Guide to Getting Good Care: Provides step by step information on how to not only access help but also what questions to ask and what to expect.
National Institute of Mental Health: Child and Adolescent Mental Health: Warning signs are discussed along with knowing when to reach out for help.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Children’s Mental Health Explains different mental health conditions and what treatment is available. Also provides articles and research.

When students’ families have the necessary resources and research-backed facts, they are able to contribute to the mental health support of their children—working with school and mental health personnel to have better student outcomes.

Lowering the stigma, increasing the support

The more we openly talk about mental health and suicide, the more we lower the stigma. Remember that every day we each have an opportunity to let a student or staff member know we care and are listening.

For more resources related to student mental health and wellbeing, read Raptor’s free guide.