In accordance with the Governor’s Proclamation 20-25, “Stay Home, Stay Healthy,” and to protect the health and safety of Washingtonians and our employees, at this time, there is restricted public access to the OSPI building. OSPI will continue serving the public via phone, email, and the website.
See OSPI’s COVID-19 guidance and resources for educators, students, and families.
Below are back to school mental health supports for students and staff:
Mental Health Crisis Lines
Suicide Prevention Lifeline
In Washington state, suicide is the second leading cause of death for teens 15 to 19 years old. According to the Washington Healthy Youth Survey (2018), 32% of eighth graders, 40% of 10th graders, and 41% of 12th graders felt so sad or hopeless for 2 weeks or more that they stopped doing their usual activities. 16% of 8th graders, 18% of 10th graders, and 18% of 12th graders reported making a suicide plan. Most students who reported feeling sad or hopeless said they have an adult to turn to for help, however, 13% of 8th graders, 16% of 10th graders, and 15% of 12th graders report there are not adults for them to turn to when feeling sad or hopeless.
Comprehensive suicide prevention planning informs all adults in schools and communities about how to intervene with a young person exhibiting warning signs for suicide. There is a place for everyone in suicide prevention. OSPI strives to provide resources and support to help inform educational service districts, school districts, and schools in the development of Suicide Prevention Plans.
September is Suicide Prevention Month. It’s a time to remember those affected by suicide, to raise awareness, and to focus efforts on directing treatment to those who need it most. See the Suicide Prevention Month Ideas for Action by The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC).
Other Suicide Prevention Month Resources:
The Children’s Behavioral Health Workgroup, formed in 2016 by the legislature, was tasked with identifying barriers to children’s behavioral health services. The workgroup's recommendations to the legislature included strategies for improving access and coordination in early learning, K–12 education, and health care systems. One of those recommendations created the OSPI Children’s Regional Behavioral Health Pilot Project, authorized by RCW 28A.630.500. In December 2019, a Legislative Report was written to provide an overview of the learnings of the Pilot Project.
HB 1216 included funding, in the 2020 budget, to establish Behavioral Health Coordinator/Navigator positions in all nine of Washington's Educational Service Districts (ESDs). Below is a list of resources related to these positions as well as contact information for each of the Navigators.
CARE is a research-backed, web-based course to provide educators and other school staff guidance to help students who may be going through difficult times. The program is designed to give educators the tools and confidence to identify students who may be at risk for emotional or behavioral distress, including suicide, substance use, violence, and sexual abuse. CARE will help all school staff understand when and how to intervene and make referrals to counselors and mental health professionals, based on their district’s policy and procedure.
CARE is available to everyone who works with students in Washington State, from administrators to support staff.
Counselors, psychologists, social workers, and nurses can take the course, but it does not meet the course requirement for certification or recertification. Those courses can be found on the Professional Educator Standards Board website.
The course is a free, one-hour, online module that meets the criteria set forth by RCW 28A.320.127 which requires educators receive training on how to recognize and respond to students experiencing emotional or behavioral distress.
CARE may be taken individually or in a group, and a Facilitator Guide is provided to guide staff through the specific examples, discussion questions, additional resources, and role play exercises.
Know the warnings and take action if you see:
Adds mental health and suicide prevention to the essential academic learning standards in health and fitness RCW 28A.230.095
School counselor, psychologist, social worker, and nurse to receive suicide prevention training.
RCW 28A.410.226
Issues of Abuse course content include recognition, screening, and response to emotional or behavioral distress in students, substance abuse, violence, and youth suicide.
School districts must adopt a plan for recognition, screening, and response to emotional or behavioral distress in students: substance abuse, violence, and youth suicide.
RCW 28A.320.127
OSPI to develop and maintain a Model School District Plan for Recognition, initial screening, and response to emotional or behavioral distress.
RCW 28A.320.1271
Requires that each Educational Service District develop and maintain the capacity to train on youth suicide screening and referral, and student emotional and behavioral distress.
RCW 28A.310.500
OSPI to assist schools in implementing youth suicide prevention activities.
RCW 28A.300.288
School districts plan must also include training for recognition of sexual abuse, notification requirements, and staff response procedures.
RCW 28A.320.127,
RCW 28A.320.160,
RCW 28A.400.317
The purpose of a prevention plan is to protect the health and well-being of all students by having procedures in place to prevent, assess the risk of, intervene in, and respond to students in crisis. Prevention of youth suicide, violence, substance use/misuse, and the early identification and treatment of behavioral health disorders are most effective when students, staff, parents, and community members have access to prevention information and resources.
The Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB) maintains the list of approved trainings required for school nurses, counselors, psychologists, and social workers. Contact an ESD Prevention Director to find out about their training schedule or see the PESB Website for other training options.
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center Page for Resources and Programs has a searchable database of evidence-based programs and practices for education, screening, treatment, environmental change that can be filtered based on intended population.
School staff have day-to-day contact with many young people, some of whom experience mental distress or illness that could result in feelings of hopelessness that could lead to suicidal behavior. Those who work in schools are well-positioned to observe students' behavior and act when they suspect that a student may be at risk of self- harm and/or suicide.
Specific steps should be followed in order to identify and help young people at risk, including a referral to someone in the school who has been trained to assess suicide risk. School systems should include efforts to recognize the warning signs, refer students to appropriate resources, and create reentry plans for students coming back to school after a crisis that coordinate with mental health treatment plans.
Responding to the Warning Signs:
It takes time and courage to reach out to students on a personal level, but your interest can be a lifeline to a child in crisis.
Suicide is a public health issue. Media and online coverage of suicide should be informed by using best practices. The way media cover suicide can influence behavior negatively by contributing to contagion or positively by encouraging help-seeking. See the following resources for best practices when reporting on a death by suicide: Reportingonsuicide.org