Suicide Prevention

Key Components of the Law

• The legislature recommends schools make suicide prevention training available annually to staff, with at least 1 hour of training every 3 years.
• Training is free to staff.
• Training can be provided by:
  • In-person sessions
  • Video conferencing
  • Individual program of study
  • Online modules
  • Any other method chosen by the local school board that is consistent with professional training standards
• The trustees of a school district must establish policies, procedures, or plans related to suicide prevention and response.
• The OPI must offer free, low-cost, and no-cost training options for schools. Find resources below.

Universal

Overview of Youth Suicide on the Montana Teacher Learning Hub

• Provides an overview of suicide in the U.S., an introduction to youth suicide-related behavior, the importance of youth voice, and information on the Bitterroot Valley Education Cooperative Suicide Prevention Project. This course is the first in a three-part series on suicide.

Kognito

• The Kognito Conversation Platform uses role-play conversations with emotionally responsive virtual humans and provides feedback, best practices, and resource lists. Kognito At Risk courses are available free of charge on the Montana Teacher Learning Hub.

Jason Foundation

• Online staff development training modules on youth suicide awareness and prevention, suitable for teachers, coaches, and other school personnel. Modules are free and each is designed for a two-hour block of time.

Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR)

• Like CPR, QPR is an emergency response to someone in crisis and can save lives. It is a widely taught gatekeeper training that can be provided in a three-hour in-person session for groups of up to 30 staff.

SafeSchools

• School districts participating in MTSBA’s Montana Schools Group Insurance Authority (MSGIA) property and liability program have free access to online Youth Suicide Awareness and Prevention trainings. The two-hour online course meets Jason Flatt Act requirements and provides awareness-level information on youth suicide, causes, prevention principles, and postvention planning.

School District Policy

• House Bill 381 states that trustees of a school district must establish policies, procedures, or plans related to suicide prevention and response. It is critical to train staff on district policy and procedures regarding suicide prevention and response.

Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA)

• An eight-hour training that teaches adults how to help adolescents (ages 12–18) experiencing mental health or substance use challenges or crisis. Offered in person and as an online facilitated training. YMHFA can be scheduled through your regional Montana Area Health Education Center (AHEC) or other local trainers.

Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM)

• A classroom mental health promotion program that raises awareness of risk and protective factors for suicide, including depression and anxiety, and builds skills and resiliency to handle stress and crisis through cognitive, emotional, and experiential learning.

Targeted

Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR)

• Like CPR, QPR is an emergency response to someone in crisis and can save lives. It is a widely taught gatekeeper training that can be provided in a three-hour in-person session for groups of up to 30 staff.

SafeTALK

• A half-day, in-person alertness workshop for people ages 15 and older that prepares participants to be suicide-alert helpers. SafeTALK-trained helpers can recognize suicide invitations and connect individuals with intervention resources such as ASIST-trained caregivers.

Suicide Procedures

• House Bill 381 requires school district trustees to establish policies, procedures, or plans related to suicide prevention and response. Staff must be trained on these protocols so they know how to respond appropriately and in alignment with district procedures. The Montana Teacher Learning Hub offers a three-part series, Overview of Youth Suicide; Suicide Prevention for Schools Part 1: Strategies; and Suicide Prevention for Schools Part 2: Protocols , to support understanding of youth suicide, prevention strategies, and sample policies and procedures.

Intensive

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)

• A 16-hour in-person training for anyone 16 or older who wants to provide suicide first aid. Major studies show ASIST can significantly reduce suicidality by teaching effective intervention skills and helping build suicide prevention networks in the community.

Suicide Procedures

• House Bill 381 requires school district trustees to establish policies, procedures, or plans related to suicide prevention and response. Staff training on these protocols is essential so responses are appropriate and aligned with district procedures.

What’s Next

Implementing any protocol requires adequate supervision and appropriately licensed staff. Simply being exposed to a document does not mean someone is adequately trained to implement a suicide protocol.

Once your school has completed training with staff on how to identify a child who may be struggling, the next step is often to develop formal processes or protocols for how the building will effectively and efficiently respond to concerns about a child’s mental wellness. Common questions include:

• Once we identify a child might be struggling, who do we send them to?
• What if our school does not have Comprehensive School and Community Treatment (CSCT) or another mental health professional in the building?
• What if our community does not have professional mental health services?
• Who in our building is trained and ready to assess a child’s suicidal risk?
• What if a child needs follow-up support?
• Who has the conversation with parents?

Answering these questions helps schools feel confident that they are doing the best they can to support children who may be suicidal.

Resources

Montana Crisis Action School Toolkit on Suicide (Montana CAST‑S, 2017) (PDF)

• Developed by Dr. Scott Poland and Dr. Donna Poland in collaboration with the Big Sky Regional Council and NAMI Montana to help school communities meet the requirements of Montana statutes HB 381 (2017) and HB 374 (2015).

Overview of a Suicide Emergency Operations Plan Annex (PDF)

• Outlines items for schools to consider when creating a comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan with a suicide-specific hazard annex, including prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery.

Coping with the Sudden Death of a Student (PDF)

• Created by the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency in Bettendorf, Iowa; provides a step‑by‑step guide for administrators on response and recovery after a student death.

Peace Protocol

• Kurt Michael, Ph.D., licensed psychologist and professor at Appalachian State University, has collaborated with Montana schools to create a suicide protocol called the Peace Protocol (PDF) . See also a recent publication on the Peace Protocol and its impact in rural communities (PDF) .

Montana School-Based Crisis Intervention Project (PDF)

Social Media and Suicide (PDF)

Secondary Trauma and Organizational Resilience (PDF)

Suicide Clusters: A Review of Risk Factors (PDF)

Grant Opportunities

Grant Resources

• From the University of Montana Center for Children, Families, and Workforce Development . The Center helps Montana communities apply for grants, offering a Montana‑focused grant search (with emphasis on rural communities), short grant‑writing training, and concrete assistance for schools and communities with grant applications.

Resources for Parents

“Before the crisis,” find resources at Montana 211 .

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Suicide Prevention Resources

Youth Suicide Prevention Seminar for Parents and Communities

• Designed specifically for parents, this seminar addresses youth suicide and provides strategies for awareness and prevention for parents and other adults.

Jason Foundation Resource Library

Parent Awareness Series (PDF)

Families for Depression Awareness

Mental Wellness Statement Coping Cards (PDF)

• Designed for parents, caregivers, schools, and community members to provide coping strategies for young people experiencing emotional distress.

Helping Parents

• Video by Dr. Scott Poland.

Resources for Students

Download the #LetsTalk app: Designed to support youth.

In partnership with and .

Evidence-Based Programs for Students

The University of Montana Center for Children, Families, and Workforce Development provides a chart of evidence-based practices for suicide prevention . This chart summarizes existing research and is updated as new programs and risk factors are identified.

Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA)

• Teaches parents, family members, schools, peers, and others how to help adolescents (ages 12–18) experiencing mental health or substance use challenges or crises, including common challenges, adolescent development, and a five-step action plan. (Youth Mentor version available for ages 16–18.)

Tools for Schools

Montana Crisis Action School Toolkit on Suicide (Montana CAST-S, PDF)

• Developed by Dr. Scott Poland and Dr. Donna Poland with the Big Sky Regional Council and NAMI Montana to help school communities meet Montana statutes HB 381 (2017) and HB 374 (2015). In partnership with the Montana Safe Schools Center and NAMI Montana, an on-demand training video explains how schools can use the Montana CAST-S to prevent and respond to youth suicide.

National School Mental Health Curriculum

• Free curriculum for school mental health available in Montana from the Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network.

National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance)

• Released the National Recommendations for Depicting Suicide for entertainment content, developed with SAMHSA and the Entertainment Industries Council. These recommendations support the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and help storytellers portray suicide in ways that promote hope, help-seeking, and recovery.

Mental Wellness Statement Coping Cards (PDF)

• Designed for parents, caregivers, school staff, and community members to provide coping strategies for young people experiencing emotional distress.

Suicide Prevention Poster (PDF)

In this Mayo Clinic video, teens describe common signs that someone may be considering suicide and encourage direct, immediate communication for support and safety, with suggestions on what to say and how to help keep peers safe.

A Promise for Tomorrow

• Curriculum unit for students in grades 7–12 that provides suicide awareness and prevention information and emphasizes peer support and appropriate responses to peers in need.

Crisis Line

• If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the Montana Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 at 1‑800‑273‑TALK (1‑800‑273‑8255), or text MT to 741‑741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.

Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools (PDF)

• Guides schools and districts in designing and implementing suicide prevention strategies and promoting behavioral health through a multi-component program tailored to student needs and culture.

Suicide Prevention and Intervention Risk Factors and Warning Signs (PDF)

Effective Suicide Prevention

• From the Suicide Prevention Resource Center.

Montana Crisis Action School Toolkit on Suicide (Montana CAST‑S, 2017) (PDF)

• Developed by Dr. Scott Poland and Dr. Donna Poland with the Big Sky Regional Council and NAMI Montana to help school communities meet Montana statutes HB 381 (2017) and HB 374 (2015).

Overview of a Suicide Emergency Operations Plan Annex (PDF)

• Lists items for schools to consider when creating a comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan with a suicide-specific hazard annex, including prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery.

Strategic Planning

• From the Suicide Prevention Resource Center.

Comprehensive Approach to Suicide Prevention

• From the Suicide Prevention Resource Center.

Keys to Success

• From the Suicide Prevention Resource Center.

Organizing a School Crisis Response (PDF)

After a Suicide: Toolkit for Schools (PDF)

Sample Classroom Meeting Format (PDF)

Informing Students of a Tragedy (PDF)

Fostering Safer Schools (PDF)

• Publication of the National School Boards Association.

Additional Resources

Coping with the Sudden Death of a Student (PDF)

• Created by the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency; provides a step‑by‑step guide for administrators on response and recovery after a student death.

Peace Protocol (PDF)

• Suicide protocol developed by Kurt Michael, Ph.D., with Montana schools; see also a publication on its impact in rural communities (PDF) .

Montana School-Based Crisis Intervention Project (PDF)

Social Media and Suicide (PDF)

Secondary Trauma and Organizational Resilience (PDF)

Suicide Clusters: A Review of Risk Factors (PDF)