Media guidelines for school administrators who may interact with reporters about youth suicide

2007

(For resources, this is the publication date. For programs, this is the date posted.)

Information

Guidelines/Recommendations
Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program
Maine Departmrnt of Health and Human Services

See This Resource

http://www.maine.gov/suicide/professionals/program/mediaschool.htm

This brief manual explores how media accounts can actually serve as a suicide prevention tool by: assisting news professionals to report responsibly and accurately; using a media request for information as an opportunity to influence the contents of the story; emphasizing the importance of listing available community resources for individuals at-risk and describing what is being done to promote safety for vulnerable individuals in the aftermath of a suicide; and warning against the aspects of news coverage that may promote copycat suicides.