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​​​​​​​​​​​Tools to implement an effective suicide prevention program on your center.

Suicide is a leading cause of death for teenagers and young adults. Job Corps sees a relatively low number of suicides. However, staff must be diligent in recognizing the warning signs of this highly preventable cause of death.​​

Every center is responsible for implementing a suicide prevention program that is supported by the Center Director and administration. At a minimum, a successful suicide prevention program should have the following core components:

Planning​​
  • Conduct focus groups with students/staff about suicide attempts and threats on center and what a center-wide suicide prevention program would look like.
  • Identify potential gatekeepers (staff members in a position to prevent suicide).
  • Develop and adopt center-wide polices to respond to suicide attempts and threats and debrief post suicide attempts and suicides. Consider utilizing the Critical Incident Crisis Intervention Plan. 
  • Improve use of SIR system to evaluate suicide attempts and threats.
  • Identify and strengthen current mechanisms used for early identification of applicants and/or students who may need mental health support and/or are at risk for suicidal behavior (such as: review of ETA 6-53, administration and review of the Social Intake Form (SIF), etc.)​
  • Coordinate with community mental health and substance abuse service providers, to improve access for students who need referrals.
Training Activities
  • All staff will participate in suicide prevention training.
  • All students will receive training on suicide awareness and prevention.
  • Participate in National Suicide Prevention Week (typically in September) with special activities and/or speakers.

Environmental Activities
  • Reduce access to lethal means of self-harm, including alcohol and drugs through security checks when students leave and return to center.
  • Monitor buildings that may be vacant on center a​nd areas in remote locations on center.
  • Ensure students have access to suicide prevention help lines and/or center staff trained in suicide prevention. Post 988 Suicide and Crisis Prevention materials around center.

Policy & Directives

Training Activities

Staff and students should receive ongoing train​​ing related to suicide prevention. This may occur through all-staff training days, student assemblies, dorm meetings, or center-wide mental health education activities. The following resources will help provide quality training and information to staff and students.​

Staff Training Resources

Slide Decks & Recorded Trainings
  1. Log into Citrix and then open your Job Corps desktop.
  2. On the JC Desktop, paste this link into an internet browser: http://lms.jobcorps.org/Default.aspx>. Or search for the “LMS” program on your computer.
  3. Type “Suicide Prevention” in the Search box and click “Enroll”
​Handouts
​ Student Training Resources

Handouts for Students
Digitable Shareables — The following may be helpful to utilize in slide decks, when creating social media posts, or to use as handouts/email attachments.
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Crisis Hotline Materials
​​ Wellness Staff: Remember to utilize available Job Corps screening tools to help identify those students who may be at high risk for suicide. This includes the Social Intake Form (SIF) and Health History Form (pay special attention to asterisk questions #29-32), which are both given to students in the first 48 hours on center.​
Safety Planning with Students
  • Stanley-Brown Safety Plan
    The Stanley-Brown Safety Plan is copyrighted by Barbara Stanley, PhD & Gregory K. Brown, PhD (2008, 2021). Individual use of the Stanley-Brown Safety Plan form is permitted. Written permission from the authors is required for any changes to this form or use of this form in the electronic medical record. Additional resources are available from www.suicidesafetyplan.com.
  • Columbia Screener — CSSR-S Screen Version(recent) & Spanish ​
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Want to Learn More?

Online and Community-Based Training Resources​
Peer Support Programs
  • Sources of Strength — A best practice youth mental health promotion and suicide prevention program
  • Hope Squad — A best practice youth suicide prevention and social emotional learning program​
Resources for Specific Populations