It is critical that every school responds to a suicide crisis situation carefully and thoughtfully in order to diminish the threat of the immediate situation, speed recovery, and support the individual in need. Every school and youth-based organization should have a Crisis Response Team and a plan that details the roles and responsibilities of each member of the team.

The Crisis Response Team should consist of 5 to 10 participants. One person should be designated as Team Leader and another should hold the position of Back-up for that position. The Team Leader should be responsible for setting up meetings that ideally occur every few months.

Other duties for team members include:

• Calling out the team when needed
• Controlling rumors
• Responding to the media
• Contacting community links
• Providing first aid, if necessary
• Contacting parents of students experiencing a suicidal crisis
• Scheduling response team meetings
• Providing training to school staff and faculty

It is also ideal to involve one or two students that represent the student body. This is most ideal for Middle School levels and above. It is encouraged that if a school chooses to have student representitives that they are supervised but able to be active in the role. It is also to keep these students safety and well-being in mind. This role would be most involved in meetings and helping with in-school prevention/outreach. *This role would not be a responder to a crisis situation, but strictly a representative. 

A Crisis Management Guideline Book should be written and given to each participant for reference. The book would describe the roles and responsibilities and would become a tool during a crisis. Training is needed to make sure that each participant is aware of his or her role and what is expected. Role playing should be a part of the training in order to get participants used to their roles and responsibilities BEFORE a tragedy occurs.

As a team, roles will need to be developed and agreed upon before a Guidebook can be written. A job description should also be written for each team player. This guidebook will need to be updated as things change. The guidebook should have all team members contact information, what their roles are, and everyone should know where to send individuals when displaying signs of depression and or suicidal thoughts.

 

Responding to a death by suicide

• The school principal should contact the police or medical examiner in order to verify the death and get facts surrounding the death

• The superintendent of the school district needs to be informed of the death

• Prepare and activate procedures for responding to the media

• Notify and activate the school's crisis response team

• Contact the family of the deceased

• Schedule a time and place to notify faculty members and all other school staff

• Contact community support services

• Arrange a meeting for parents/caregivers

• Meet with all students in small groups

• Provide additional survivor support services to all students identified as at-risk

• Members of the school's crisis team should follow the victim's classes

• Establish support stations or counseling rooms

• De-brief staff at the end of the day for approximately 5 days

• Reschedule any immediate stressful academic exercises, though avoid changing the school day regular schedule

• Avoid flying the school's flag at half-mast in order to avoid glamorizing the death

• Memorialization should focus on prevention, education, and living

• Collaborate with students to utilize social media effectively to disseminate information and promote suicide prevention effort

• Inform local crisis telephone lines and local mental health agencies about the death

• Provide info about visiting hours and funeral arrangements to staff, students, parents, and community members

• The family of the deceased should be encouraged to schedule the funeral after school hours

• Follow up with students that are identified as at-risk