By Teri Vance
Partnership Carson City is providing Signs of Suicide training to interested secondary schools in the Carson City School District.
“It’s a very short, quick intervention program that gives students and teachers a three-step tool to be able to recognize signs of a potential mental health crisis or suicide,” explained Hannah McDonald, Partnership Carson City’s community outreach coordinator.
McDonald and her staff show staff and students a video outlining the three steps to take when a need is seen: Acknowledge, care and tell.
The program has been implemented at Pioneer High School and Eagle Valley Middle School. It will be introduced at Carson Middle School in the spring.
Students are given a short questionnaire following the presentation asking if they would like to speak with someone.
McDonald said they often address concerns they have regarding peers and friends.
“Sometimes, kids just need permission to know they can talk about stuff,” she said. “It allows the kids to feel comfortable in knowing they can talk about the things they need to talk about. Studies show we need to talk about suicide.”
