Effective suicide prevention is up to each community, therapists and counselors said during a packed mental health forum Monday at Dolores Schools.
Colorado has the seventh-highest number of suicides in the U.S., said Dolores Schools counselor Karen Finch. In 2014, there were 1,058 suicides in the state, according to the office of suicide prevention, and they have become the second leading cause of death nationwide among people ages 10-24.
The situation hit home this fall when two young students in Montezuma County took their own lives, triggering a lot of questions about mental health services.
Finch said the Dolores community was flooded with 42 therapists, counselors and psychiatrists in the weeks after a Dolores student took her own life in November.
At the community forum and dinner, 50 concerned parents learned how the school addresses mental health issues and discussed their concerns.
“There is no single cause of suicide,” Finch said. “It happens when stressers exceed coping ability either at home or at school. Giving kids coping skills is where we need to help each other.”
Watch for warning signsRisk factors can include family history of suicide substance abuse, stress, access to firearms, a recent tragedy, history of trauma, bullying, chronic medical illness and discrimination.
When kids talk of suicide, take it seriously, even if they say they are joking, Finch said.
“Question them on whether they are thinking about killing themselves,” she said. “All research says you are not putting the idea into their head or making it worse. When someone says ‘suicide’ they are saying ‘I cannot cope, are you listening?’”
Sustained depression, alcohol or drug use, withdrawing, reckless behavior, giving away prized possessions or visiting or calling people to say goodbye are all warning signs.
School actions, programsDolores Schools have several counselors, polices and programs to address mental health issues.
To prevent bullying, every student takes a class twice per year about bullying and where to report it and what to do if you are a bystander. Incidents of bullying are investigated, and behavior issues addressed with students, teachers and parents.
Improving mental health skills through physiology is effective. For example, a program called Brainwise teaches kids they can control their emotions based on the thoughts they have. Negative attitudes and stress can trigger a release of the steroidal hormone cortisone into the bloodstream, causing stress and increased heart rates.
“If they think ‘calm, breathe’ and say ‘I got this,’ then chemicals in the body are released that calm them,” Finch said. “I see this work on a day-to-day basis.”
Intervention plans are put in place for students suffering from mental health problems, then ramped up if the child does not improve.
Beginning this school year, elementary school students will take a middle school survival class to learn where to go if they have a problem, and how to advocate for themselves.
Social media blamedParents and school principals said the prevalence of social media is adding to mental health issues.
Elementary school principal Gary Livick said there is a correlation between a rise in youth suicides and the rise in social media the past eight years.
“It has taken over car accidents and the No. 1 cause of death nationwide for youths 10-14,” he said.
Parents need to monitor their child’s social media use to identify problems, Livick said.
“Have a conversation about social media just as you would asking them about what they are doing at the park or football game,” added one counselor.
Dolores school board member Deanna Truelsen said today’s kids have more pressure.
“It used to be called teasing, and it stopped when you got home,” she said. “With social media, it is not over for these kids. They need to realize it is OK to tell an adult if a friend is threatening themselves or someone else.”
Secondary principal Jen Hufman said parents need to be aware of apps that hide other apps a child does not want parents to know about.
“Go through their phones, make them put it in a basket when they get home,” she said. “We have students who turn in their phones when they get to school. Limited use of phones helps them focus on school work and get away from the distraction of social media.”
Officials urged parents and students to report incidents of bullying or talk of suicide.
Safe2Tell allows anonymous reports that are relayed to school officials. Call 10877-542-7233 or go to www.safe2tell.org
What happens to the bullies? asked one parent. Can they be expelled?
Officials said once a bully is identified, counselors may involve parents and intervene with behavior modification tactics.
They said bullying is a complicated problem, with victims often becoming the bully, and social media is used for revenge.
After an investigation, bullies could be suspended, officials said. But expulsion is a last resort, and must comply with strict federal laws that protect a student’s right to an education.
After three bullying incidents, a student can be suspended for a short period. To be expelled for longer periods, that cycle has to occur three times, then there is an expulsion hearing.
jmimiaga@the-journal.com