NCJ Number
121372
Date Published
1989
Length
78 pages
Annotation
The goals of this suicide prevention curriculum are to help students realize their own attitudes about suicide, become knowledgeable about the problem, be able to identify high-risk individuals, acquire crisis intervention listening and communication skills, learn principles of suicide prevention, and become familiar with community resources.
Abstract
Each of the five lesson plans includes a basic concept, goal, planning suggesions, required time and materials, specific instructions, classroom exercises, and adaptive uses. An in-service workshop, presented during staff development time by a counselor or specialist in suicide prevention for teachers assigned to teach this curriculum is suggested. This curriculum is based on several guidelines: teaching factual information, avoiding moralizing or giving advice, encouraging active participation during class discussions, encouraging questions, directly and openly discussing the issues involved, noticing indicators of tension, and giving ample time at the end of each session to put closure on feelings that may surface from talking and reading about suicide. Many suicidology experts believe that educational programs may be one of the most effective methods of reducing the high rate of teenage suicide.