How School Leaders Shift Suicide Prevention to the Virtual World
December 04, 2020
As many kids experience increased stress due to COVID-19 and racial inequity, experts recommend schools set up a suicide prevention task force to support student mental health. Having a specialized task force to focus on mental health can free up school staff for other challenges, such as online learning. Suicide prevention efforts should be tailored to students’ developmental stage and culture, said Rich Lieberman, a lecturer in school psychology at Loyola Marymount University and former suicide prevention coordinator in Los Angeles public schools. Young children and teens have different needs, says Lieberman, as do students of color who are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. A task force should also consider the needs of other groups at risk for suicide, such as LGBTQ students and those who have struggled with their mental health.
Spark Extra! Read more about preventing suicide in schools during COVID-19.