OSPI Honors Suicide Prevention Week

Data show teens in Washington state struggle with suicidal thoughts, and it is a community-wide effort to support our state’s students.

September 10, 2017 is World Suicide Prevention Day, and it marks the beginning of National Suicide Prevention Week. During these recognition events, and continually, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) urges communities to take action for our state’s students struggling with their mental health.

This past spring, OSPI published the results of the statewide Healthy Youth Survey, which surveys thousands of students about their mental health and drug and alcohol habits.

The data show the number of eighth- and 10th-grade students who have thought about suicide has increased by at least six percent in the past ten years. These data were featured in the Seattle Times this past May.

“This is a wake-up call for our communities,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal. “We need our students to feel confident and empowered to tackle the challenges they face every day, and depression and anxiety are among those challenges. . .

We need help from educators, mental health experts, counselors, as well as community-wide support to ensure our kids have the tools to persevere and that they have access to help when they need it.”

To find out about your role in suicide prevention efforts, follow OSPI on social media as we continue to share resources to promote mental health and strategies to help students cope with depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts. Also check back in with our Medium site as we feature more campaigns with even more resources!

For more information about the Healthy Youth Survey, visit OSPI’s Safety Center website.

Resource: Take 5 to Save Lives

One national campaign urges people to Take 5 to Save Lives! Take 5 to Save Lives is a public awareness campaign started by the National Council for Suicide Prevention in support of World Suicide Prevention Day.

Take 5 to Save Lives calls attention to five crucial steps in preventing suicide or self-harm:

1. LEARN THE SIGNS. An expert-consensus list of warning signs was created to help people identify someone who may be in suicidal crisis or experiencing suicidal thoughts. Take a couple minutes to learn and memorize the warning signs of suicide. Suicide prevention preparedness will help save more lives.

2. DO YOUR PART. Teachers, parents, students, caregivers, and countless other stakeholders all play a vital role in preventing the tragedy of suicide. Preventing suicide is a collective responsibility. Learn how you can do more to raise awareness and prevent suicide.

3. PRACTICE SELF-CARE. Research tells us that our mental fitness or wellness is crucial to our overall long-term health, and can even protect us from disease. Learn some tips for keeping mentally fit. Make self-care a priority in your life.

4. REACH OUT. There are many resources for those experiencing suicidal thoughts or a suicidal crisis. Know where to turn to if you or someone you know needs help.

5. SPREAD THE WORD. One great way to end stigma is to talk about suicide prevention and share real life stories of living with depression or other mental illnesses. Pledge to tell at least 5 other people about Take 5 and World Suicide Prevention Day.

Visit the Promote Take 5 page on the website for more information on your role in promoting mental health and preventing suicide through the Take 5 campaign.