As students return to school, both students & families may feel a sense of hope and anxiety. Not to mention there have been at least three active shooter hoaxes, one in the Ozarks’ backdoor in Fayetteville at The University of Arkansas.
While public schools in the State of Missouri seem to have had a smooth start; The State of Missouri is making updates to it’s Suicide prevention & 988 guide.
In an interview with Missouri Net’s Cameron Conner; Katie Epema from The State of Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) had the following to say about these updates:
- Since the updates both the 2023 & 2024 guide; The latest guide offers strategies to help schools both Statewide & District-Wide. These are particularly related to offering students “Safe, supportive environments” additional Suicide-prevention recourses, crisis continuum recourses, staff training and professional development training information for educators & faculty members, recourses for parents about 988 (the suicide prevention hotline), & How-To’s related to dealing with student suicides in families.
- A good majority information about 988 that has been past 988 guide in the past been put on the 988 website under the Toolkit link (missouri988.org/toolkit/)
- 988 offers First Aid & Question-Preferred (QPR) training both in the guide and on the website for school professionals who may not be experienced in discussing suicide as it is often an uncomfortable subject for many. Also tips on how to be supportive in both Mental Health & Suicide Prevention crisis.
- The new guide also derives information from The Missouri School Counselors Association Manual which was created particularly for the purpose of crisis prevention. Such as creating templates or finding ways to inform students of a crisis. The 988 guide itself has a list of suggested steps Missouri steps might consider when encountering such events in the first 24-48 hours.
Espma also emphasized how 988 can often been misconstrued as only a suicide prevention recourse. Information is not strictly limited to school personnel but also parents & guardians.
If you know of an eminent crisis regardless of its relation to Missouri Schools. Do not hesitate to seek help by either calling or calling 988 or by going to The Missouri 988 website at; Missouri988.org
