Suicide Prevention
Suicide Prevention Certified Schools
The “Suicide Prevention Certified School” designation requires all of the following:
- All instructional personnel are required to complete two hours of a department-approved youth suicide awareness and prevention training every three years;
- The youth suicide awareness and prevention training must be included in the district’s continuing education or master inservice plan;
- The school has at least two school-based mental health services providers that are qualified to conduct a suicide risk assessment using a department-approved screening instrument; and
- The school or district has a policy requiring the use of an approved suicide risk assessment instrument administered by a school-based mental health services provider prior to requesting or initiating an involuntary examination due to concerns about a student’s suicide risk.
Schools that meet the criteria for a “Suicide Prevention Certified School” must report compliance to the Department of Education by submitting a completed SPCS Certification Form (PDF) to SuicidePreventionSchools@fldoe.org.
Attachment A: RSAT-2020 and Attachment B: SPCS Certification Form
Suicide Risk Assessment Instruments
The following are department-approved youth suicide risk assessment instruments per s. 1012.583, F.S., and Rule 6A-4.0010, F.A.C.:
- Columbia – Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS): Lifetime-Recent
- Suicide Assessment Five-Step Evaluation and Triage (SAFE-T)
- SAFE-T with C-SSRS
Youth Suicide Awareness and Prevention Training for K-12 Instructional Personnel
The following are the department-approved youth suicide awareness and prevention trainings for K-12 instructional personnel per s. 1012.583, F.S., and Rule 6A-4.0010, F.A.C.:
ACT on FACTS – 2019-20 National Version: 2-hour online training. FREE.
At-Risk for High School Educators: 2-hour (with Group Discussion Guide) online, simulation-based professional development program. Online program must be supplemented with Group Discussion Guide. Available to Florida Educators at https://florida.kognito.com.
At-Risk for Middle School Educators: 2-hour (with Group Discussion Guide) online, simulation-based professional development program. Online program must be supplemented with Group Discussion Guide. Available to Florida Educators at https://florida.kognito.com.
At-Risk for Elementary School Educators: 2-hour (with Group Discussion Guide) online, simulation-based professional development program. Online program must be supplemented with Group Discussion Guide. Available to Florida Educators at https://florida.kognito.com.
Professional Development Series – Module 5, “Youth Suicide: A Silent Epidemic": 2-hour online or face-to-face Inservice training from the Jason Foundation. FREE.
Professional Development Series – Module 2, Mental Health Issues Surrounding Suicidal Ideation: 2-hour online or face-to-face Inservice training from the Jason Foundation. FREE.
Making Educators Partners in Youth Suicide Prevention: 2-hour, face-to-face Inservice workshop. COST - $35 for training materials and completion of Train-the-Trainer for presenter(s).
More than Sad: Suicide Prevention Education for Teachers and Other School Personnel: 2-hour face-to-face Inservice program. COST - $59.99 for DVD set: More Than Sad: Preventing Teen Suicide and More Than Sad: Teen Depression.
Response: High School Suicide Awareness Program: 2-hour Inservice training. COST - $425 per kit (includes student awareness component).
Signs Matter: Early Detection: 2-hour online training. COST - $35 for individual; Group rates available.
Youth Mental Health First Aid: 6 or 8-hour face to face Inservice program. FREE to Florida educators. Must be supplemented with a Kognito simulation training and Group Discussion Guide.
A school district may request approval of district-developed or adopted youth suicide awareness and prevention training materials by completing form RSAT-2020 and submitting it to SuicidePreventionSchools@fldoe.org.