Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for youth ages 10-24 (CDC, WISQARS 2022). Rates of suicide for youth continue to rise each year. Just in 2020 alone, 6,663 young people (age 5-24) died by suicide (CDC, WISQARS 2022). Additionally, 18.8% of high school students in the US reported considering suicide, 15.7% reported creating a suicide plan, and 8.9% reported trying to take their own life during 2019 (Ivey-Stepheson et al., 2019).
Suicide affects many of our youth and can have serious consequences, including a range of negative mental health outcomes, increased risk of subsequent attempts, and death. Educators, and specifically school counselors, are well positioned within the school system to identify and intervene when children and adolescents are struggling with suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
This practice brief provides educators with information and resources on suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention that is evidence-based and applicable to the K-12 school setting. Subsequently, suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention efforts are essential as educators continue to meet their students’ needs and require the collaboration of the entire school community.