Policy 3425 Suicide

Neither a school district nor a teacher has a duty to warn of the suicidal tendencies of a student absent the teacher’s or school district’s knowledge of direct evidence of such suicidal tendencies. The Board directs the Superintendent or his or her designee to draft and implement procedures relating to:

  1. Suicide prevention;
  2. Suicide intervention; and
  3. Suicide postvention.

"Postvention" shall mean counseling or other social care given to students after another student’s suicide or attempted suicide.

These procedures may include, but are not limited to, the following measures:

  1. Prevention:
    • Offering and providing help and assistance, including early identification; B. Support and/or counseling by school support personnel for low-risk students;
    • Referral to appropriate sources outside the school for high and moderate-risk students;
    • The designation of a District-level and/or school level suicide prevention coordinator(s) by the Superintendent to be responsible for planning and coordinating the implementation of procedures addressing suicide.
    • Encouraging staff to report to the coordinator students they believe may be at elevated risk of suicide.
    • Education of students on suicide prevention through age-appropriate curriculum. 
    • Small group suicide prevention programming.
    • Additional training on suicide prevention for all staff for whom such training is deemed necessary.
    • Offering resources to parents/guardians on suicide prevention. 
  2. Intervention:
    • Contacting the parents/guardians of students identified as at imminent risk of suicide.
    • Contacting emergency services to assist a student who is at imminent risk of suicide.
    • Providing first aid until emergency personnel arrive, as appropriate.
    • Moving other students away from the immediate area of any suicide attempt on District property or at a District event.

3530-1 (ISBA 10/18 UPDATE)

  1. Postvention:
    • After care support by the school for faculty, staff, and students after a sudden death has occurred.
    • The development of a plan for responding to a death by suicide that has a significant impact on the school community.
    • Notification of the suicide prevention coordinator, if applicable.
    • The creation of a crisis team to respond to deaths by suicide that have a significant impact on the school community.
    • Contacting the State Department of Education to report any student deaths by suicide and to seek postvention assistance and/or resources.
    • Offering mental health services to students likely to be strongly affected by a recent death.
    • Appointing a spokesperson to handle inquiries related to issues involving suicide in the District.

District personnel shall attend to the rights of the student and his or her family.

The District shall comply with all requirements of State law and administrative rules for training by personnel on suicide prevention and awareness.

Legal Reference:
I.C. § 33-136 Suicide Prevention in Schools
I.C. § 33-512B Suicidal Tendencies – Duty to Warn.
I.D.A.P.A. 08.02.03.160 Safe Environment and Discipline

Policy History:
Adopted on: March 20,2019 Revised on:
Reviewed on:

3530-2 (ISBA 10/18 UPDATE)