HERE Now SOS Signs Suicide® Prevention Program
The teen years are marked by a roller-coaster ride of emotions—difficult for teens, their parents, and educators. It is easy to misread depression as normal adolescent turmoil; however, depression (among the most common of mental illnesses) appears to be occurring at a much earlier age, and the past decade has seen teen suicide rates double.
To proactively address this issue, Santee School District is partnering with San Diego Youth Services HERE Now program to provide a “Check Your Mood Week” filled with discussions about emotions and ways to help your friends.
Our goals in participating in this program are straightforward:
- To help our students understand that depression is a treatable illness and help them assess whether or not they may have symptoms consistent with depression.
- To explain that suicide is a preventable tragedy that often occurs as a result of untreated depression.
- To provide students training in how to identify serious depression and potential suicidality in a friend.
- To impress upon teens that they can help themselves or a friend by taking the simple step of talking to a responsible adult about their concerns.
San Diego Youth Services will facilitate an informative Parent Meeting discussing the SOS Signs Suicide® Prevention Program prior to the student presentation. San Diego Youth Services will also present in the SOS Signs Suicide® Prevention Program for one 50-minute period at each school-site for students in 7th and 8th grade.
Following each presentation, students will be asked to complete a card stating whether or not they have questions or concerns regarding the presentation for themselves or for a friend. Those students with questions or concerns will be checked in on within 24 hours. Parents will be notified.
If you have any questions or concerns about this program, please do not hesitate to contact the school site administrator.
Visit the San Diego Youth Services HERE Now website for more information about the program at https://sdyouthservices.org/services/suicide-prevention-and-intervention/.