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Educator Resources

National Suicide Prevention: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a 24-hour, toll-free, confidential suicide prevention hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. By dialing 1-800-TALK (8255), the call is routed to the nearest crisis center in our national network of more than 150 crisis centers. The Lifeline’s national network of local crisis centers provide crisis counseling and mental health referrals day and night.  1-800-273-8255.

Re:Solve Help Line: Re:Solve Crisis Network provides round-the-clock, mental health crisis intervention and stabilization services for residents of Allegheny County in Pennsylvania. 1-888-769-8226 (7-YOU-CAN) 

 

Crisis Text Line: TextSTARTto 741-741 to text with a crisis counselor. The Crisis Text Line is similar to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and other hotlines, but allows those in crisis to text in rather than call. It operates 24 hours a day.

 

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has been at the forefront of a wide range of suicide prevention initiatives–each designed to reduce loss of life from suicide. They are investing in groundbreaking research, new educational campaigns, innovative demonstration projects and critical policy work.

 

Prevent Suicide PA: The Pennsylvania Adult/Older Adult Suicide Prevention Coalition (PAOASPC) and the Pennsylvania Youth Suicide Prevention Initiative (PAYSPI) have merged to form a new organization called Prevent Suicide PA.  Prevent Suicide PA will address suicide prevention across the lifespan.  The organization's goal is to prevent suicide in Pennsylvania through education, training, awareness, reducing stigma, and involving those with lived experience (Loss and Attempt Survivors).

The Jason Foundation: The Jason Foundation, Inc. (JFI) is dedicated to the prevention of the “Silent Epidemic” of youth suicide through educational and awareness programs that equip young people, educators/youth workers and parents with the tools and resources to help identify and assist at-risk youth.

 

Suicide Awareness Voices of Education: SAVE was one of the nation’s first organizations dedicated to the prevention of suicide. Our work is based on the foundation and belief that suicide is preventable and everyone has a role to play in preventing suicide. Through raising public awareness, educating communities, and equipping every person with the right tools, we know we can SAVE lives.

 

Suicide Prevention Resource Center: SPRC is the nation’s only federally supported resource center devoted to advancing the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. They provide technical assistance, training, and materials to increase the knowledge and expertise of suicide prevention practitioners and other professionals serving people at risk for suicide. They also promote collaboration among a variety of organizations that play a role in developing the field of suicide prevention.

 

The National Children’s Traumatic Stress Network: The National Children’s Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) is an excellent resource for handouts and online courses related to various types of trauma and grief.  It has resources for parents, students and professionals alike, including a brief course on psychological first aid for schools.

 

How to Help Someone Online: From time to time you may encounter a person who is expressing thoughts of suicide on your social media sites. If someone you know online is showing any of these warning signs, it is important that you post a message encouraging them to call the Lifeline. If you are friends with the person in real life or know where the person is, please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) so that you can talk to a crisis counselor.

 

Youth Suicide Prevention School-Based Guide: A comprehensive suicide prevention guide for schools created by the University of South Florida. Includes Issue Briefs and checklists for suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention topics.

 

Recommendations for Reporting on Suicide: This guide includes important points for covering suicide, “do’s and don’ts” for safe reporting, and suggestions for the online media/message boards/bloggers.

 

Framework for Successful Messaging: Created by the National Action Alliance, this is a framework for public messaging (e.g., posters, PSAs, social media, websites, etc.) to ensure that suicide-related messages are safe, strategic, positive, and in line with best practices.

 

Suicide Prevention Resource Center Best Practices Registry: The purpose of the Best Practices Registry (BPR) is to identify, review, and disseminate information about best practices that address specific objectives of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. The BPR is a collaborative project of the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). It is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Many of the best practice resources listed have to be purchased.

 

More Than Sad Program: The More Than Sad Program of the American Foundation for Suicide prevention provides education about factors that put youth at risk for suicide, in particular depression and other mental disorders.