Signs of Suicide (SOS) Program
Dear Parent / Caregiver,
This year school staff are working to teach students about mental health and how to seek
help if they are worried about themselves or a friend. We are using a program called SOS
Signs of Suicide. The program teaches students about this difficult topic and encourages
them to seek help.
SOS has been used by thousands of schools for over 20 years. Studies have shown that it
effectively teaches students about depression and suicide while reducing the number of
students’ self-reported suicide attempts.
Through the program, students learn:
- that depression is treatable, so they are encouraged to seek help
- how to identify depression and potential suicide risk in themselves or a friend
- to ACT (Acknowledge, Care and Tell a trusted adult) if concerned about themselves or a friend
- who they can turn to at school for help
Students will watch age-appropriate video clips and participate in a guided discussion about
depression, suicide, and what to do if they are concerned about a friend. Following the video,
students will complete a brief depression screening form. This form cannot provide a
diagnosis of depression but does indicate whether a young person should seek help from a
mental health professional.
At the end of class, students will complete an exit slip which asks whether they would like to
talk to an adult about any concerns. School staff will conduct brief meetings with any student
asking to talk.
We encourage you to visit www.mindwise.org/parents for information on warning signs for
youth suicide, useful resources, and some of the key messages students will learn.
If you or someone you know is experiencing an immediate mental health need, please connect with your outside health care provider, Community Health Link (Emergency Mental Health Services) at 1-866-549-2142 or your local emergency room/911.
If you do not want your child to participate in this program please fill out our opt-out form.
Sincerely,
GMS Counseling Department