*NEW* School Safety Professional Development Grants can provide up to $10,000 for training for Montana school district staff on school safety topics such as mental health awareness and suicide prevention. These competitive grants will open for submission at 12 pm on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 for the 2021-22 school year. Visit the webpage to learn more.


MTSS Suicide Prevention Updated

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 includes information on the Bitterroot Valley Education Cooperative Suicide Prevention Project.  This course is the first in a three part series on suicide. 
  • Kognito - Their proprietary Kognito Conversation Platform allows participants to implement learning through role-play conversations with emotionally responsive virtual humans. Participants receive feedback and suggestions after these conversations are completed. Participants also receive a course summary, summary of best practices, and/or a listing of local and national resources.  Kognito At Risk Courses are available free of charge on the Montana Teacher Learning Hub.  Kognito has also created a COVID-19 specific resource: Re-Entry into the Classroom: How to Prepare Educators to Welcome Back Students that helps educators apply skills gained through the Kognito simulations to the current crisis. 
  • Jason Foundation - The Jason Foundation series of online Staff Development Training Modules provide information on the awareness and prevention of youth suicide suitable for teachers, coaches, other school personnel.  These modules are provided at no cost to participants.  Each module is designed for a two-hour block of time.
  • Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) - Just like CPR, QPR is an emergency response to someone in crisis and can save lives. QPR is the most widely taught Gatekeeper training in the world and can be provided in a three-hour in-person session with your staff in groups up to 30 people.
  • Safe Schools - School districts that participate in MTSBA’s Montana Schools Group Insurance Authority (MSGIA) property and liability program have free access to online trainings in the area of Youth Suicide Awareness and Prevention. The two-hour online course meets the requirements of the Jason Flatt Act and offers school staff members an awareness-level understanding of the facts about youth suicide, causes of youth suicide, basic principles of suicide prevention and planning for the aftermath of a suicide within the school community.
  • School District Policy - House Bill 381 now states that trustees of a school district shall establish policies, procedures, or plans related to suicide prevention and response.  It is critical for schools to train their staff on the district policy regarding suicide prevention and response.
  • Youth Mental Health First Aid - Youth Mental Health First Aid is an eight hour in-person training designed to teach parents, family members, schools, and others how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. This program currently has an online facilitated training available.  YMHFA programs can be scheduled for your school at no cost through the Montana Hospital Association (Grant funding permitting).  South Central Montana schools should contact Rebecca Petrovich,rebecca.petrovich@mtha.org and North Central Montana schools should contact Alexis Tobin, alexis.tobin@mtha.org. 
  • Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM) is a classroom mental health promotion program that aims to raise mental health awareness about risk and protective factors associated with suicide, including knowledge about depression and anxiety, and enhance the skills and emotional resiliency needed to deal with stress and crisis. The adolescents learn from both a professional and from each other through a mix of cognitive, emotional, and experiential learning.

Targeted

  • Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) - Just like CPR, QPR is an emergency response to someone in crisis and can save lives. QPR is the most widely taught Gatekeeper training in the world and can be provided in a three-hour in-person session with your staff in groups up to 30 people.
  • SafeTALK is a half-day in person alertness workshop that prepares anyone over the age of 15, regardless of prior experience or training, to become a suicide-alert helper.  SafeTALK-trained helpers can recognize suicide invitations and take action by connecting them with life-saving intervention resources, such as caregivers trained in ASIST.
  • Suicide Procedures - House Bill 381 now states that trustees of a school district shall establish policies, procedures, or plans related to suicide prevention and response.  It is critical to train staff on these protocols so staff know how to handle a situation appropriately and aligned with district procedures.  The Montana Teacher Learning Hub has a three part series titled Overview of Youth Suicide, Suicide Prevention for Schools Part 1: Strategies, and Suicide Prevention for Schools Part 2: Protocols to assist in understanding the impact of youth suicide, strategies for prevention, and sample policies and procedures.

Intensive

  • Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is a 16-hour in-person training for anyone 16 or older, regardless of prior experience, who wants to be able to provide suicide first aid. Shown by major studies to significantly reduce suicidality, the ASIST model teaches effective intervention skills while helping to build suicide prevention networks in the community.
  • Suicide Procedures -  House Bill 381 now states that trustees of a school district shall establish policies, procedures, or plans related to suicide prevention and response.  It is critical to train staff on these protocols so staff know how to handle a situation appropriately and aligned with district procedures.

Suicide Prevention Home