3 little-known myths about youth suicide prevention
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Three fact sheets by the national EdCan Network of educators and TeenMentalHealth.org assert that school-based suicide prevention products and programs – many of which have become a significant source of revenue for many companies and organizations – are often ineffective and can cause more harm than good.
3 Myths Dispelled about Student Suicide Prevention
Key considerations prior to deciding which, if any, specific suicide prevention interventions need to be applied in a school [Download this fact sheet]
Suicide Prevention: 6 Questions School Leaders Should Ask
Important questions to ask when implementing a school-based suicide prevention program [Download this fact sheet]
What can school leaders do in the aftermath of student and staff suicide?
Suggestions for what school leaders should and should not do following the suicide of a student or staff member [Download this fact sheet]
Authored by mental health literacy experts Dr. Stan Kutcher, Dr. Yifeng Wei, and Andrew Baxter, these timely resources further reveal that there is no epidemic of youth suicide in Canada and that available studies often do not actually measure suicide prevention.
As the authors contend, “As schools may be caught between the wish to do something helpful and the sophisticated marketing of products and programs that take advantage of this intent, it is necessary that school staff think critically before they apply any suicide prevention strategy.”
“Youth suicide is an emotional and challenging topic that impacts entire school communities,” says Max Cooke, EdCan Network CEO. “These facts sheets will provide some much-needed clarity to school leaders who are looking for proven ways to decrease student death by suicide.”
Free copies of these fact sheets can be downloaded at www.edcan.ca/facts-on-education.
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EdCan Network
The EdCan Network is the independent national organization with over 140,000 members working tirelessly to ensure that all students discover their place, purpose and path.
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