Abbreviations: Board Policy (BP); Administrative Regulations (AR); Exhibit (E)

Suicide Prevention – Comprehensive SUSD Approach

Suicide Prevention – 5141.52 · BP: BP 5141.52 – Students – Suicide Prevention · AR: AR 5141.52 – Students – Suicide Prevention

Stockton Unified School District and the Student Support Services Department are proud to have created a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention.

PREVENTION

Staff Training

SUSD employees annually receive training on the risk factors and warning signs of suicide, as well as suicide prevention, intervention, referral, and postvention strategies.

Suicide Prevention Lessons

Suicide Prevention lessons in SUSD are delivered by School Counselors, who are trained to support student mental health, identify risk factors, and respond appropriately.

Elementary Grades (K–6)

• Recognize and express emotions
• Identify coping strategies
• Seek help when experiencing harmful behaviors or unsafe situations

Middle & High School (Grades 7–12)

• Understand the link between suicide and depression
• Recognize warning signs in themselves and peers
• Use the ACT® (Acknowledge, Care, Tell) message to seek help from a trusted adult

As required by California Education Code, all 7–12 grade students have crisis hotline information printed on their student ID cards, including national and local resources.

PLUS Program (Peer Support)

The PLUS Program is a trauma-informed, peer-led initiative that promotes age-appropriate suicide prevention and wellness awareness from elementary through high school.

The program trains student leaders in 7th-12th grade to help prevent and reduce:

• Bullying and school violence
• Alcohol and drug use
• Suicidal ideation and other risk factors

PLUS leaders foster belonging and connection by promoting:

• Prosocial bonding
• Inclusion activities
• Restorative conversations
• Peer-to-peer support structures

High school PLUS leaders (grades 9–12) also complete LivingWorks Start training to:

• Identify peers who may be struggling
• Recognize early warning signs
• Refer peers to trusted adults or mental health clinicians

Awareness Campaigns (K–12)

The PLUS Program and School Counselors promote district-wide prevention and awareness campaigns to reinforce protective factors, student belonging, and visibility of support systems. These include:

• Unity Day
• SUSD is Bully-Free Month
• Suicide Prevention Week
• Say Something Week
• No One Eats Alone Day

INTERVENTION

Mental Health Professionals – Multi-Disciplinary Intervention Team

SUSD’s multidisciplinary Intervention Team—made up of School Counselors, Mental Health Clinicians, School Nurses, and School Psychologists—works collaboratively to identify and respond to students at risk, ensuring timely, compassionate, and comprehensive intervention for all students.

• School Counselors: Frontline responders delivering districtwide suicide prevention lessons, assessing immediate safety concerns, providing crisis intervention, safety planning, postvention, and coordinating referrals.
• Mental Health Clinicians: Therapeutic intervention, ongoing counseling, case management, risk assessments, safety planning, and postvention.
• School Psychologists: Support student behavior and mental health, participate in crisis response and postvention, and assist with assessments for students with IEP needs.
• School Nurses: Identify physical, emotional, or behavioral concerns, provide immediate care during crises, and communicate health-related information to the mental health team.