Suicide Prevention

Dear Parents and Guardians,
Work toward youth suicide prevention in our community is an ongoing effort made by Livingston School District, local law enforcement, mental health providers, Livingston Health Care, and numerous members of the community. Youth suicide is a terrible tragedy that can, in many cases, be prevented.

The good news is that students have become vigilant in reporting when a friend or classmate is showing signs of suicide ideation or self-harm thanks to the SOS (Signs of Suicide) and YAM (Youth Aware of Mental Health) curriculum implementation in the schools. We know that student reporting has very likely saved lives. However, we can all agree that there is much work left to be done in suicide prevention.\

What can you do? The first point of contact for youth is typically other youth. Students are more likely to tell their friends when they are anxious, depressed or having feelings of suicide than tell their parents. These cries for help are commonly expressed through social media or text messages. If your child tells you that they are worried about a friend or they share a concerning message with you, please call one of these numbers immediately for the safety and well-being of everyone concerned. You may remain anonymous in most cases.

 

 

If you can, call the parents of the child of concern, as well. Wouldn’t you want to know if your child was at risk for suicide or self-harm? Please, don’t wait until the next day to report it to school officials. Even though it might feel uncomfortable to step in, it is so much better to be safe than sorry, and tomorrow might be too late. Keeping our kids safe is the job of our entire community. Pay attention, listen, and above all, REPORT!