September is Suicide Prevention Month

September is Suicide Prevention Month, an important time to support Youth Mental Health.

As teachers and school resource officers, you play a vital role in supporting the mental health and well-being of the young people in your care. With September designated as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the resources available to help you identify and assist students who may be struggling.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people aged 10-24 in the United States. However, suicide is preventable. By educating ourselves, recognizing the warning signs, and knowing how to connect students with help, we can make a profound difference.

The Center offers a variety of classroom-based and online classes to assist Arkansas educators in proactively identifying youth in schools who are in crisis or may be struggling with mental health issues:

Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) is an evidence-based training program is designed for adults who regularly interact with youths. The training introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations.

This free training is always available to your district upon request. YMHFA is currently scheduled as follows:
October 31 – Searcy High School
November 7 – Criminal Justice Institute (Little Rock)
November 18 – Pottsville School District

In addition, the following FREE online programs are always available:

Basic Mental Health Awareness for Educational Staff
Identifying and Preventing Bullying

Suicide Prevention Hotlines:

  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
  • Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
  • Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988

Training and Educational Resources:

By being informed, staying vigilant, and knowing how to connect students to help, we can work together to prevent tragedies and support the mental health of the young people in our communities. This September and throughout the year, let’s make suicide prevention a priority.