1. Bringing comprehensive suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention planning to schools: addressing the whole school environment.
Keith Kline, Ph.D.
Executive Director - Grant Us Hope
Jennifer Wright-Berryman, Ph.D.
National Hope Squad Lead Researcher
Researcher and Evaluator, Grant Us Hope
Assistant Professor of Social Work, University of Cincinnati

2. Who is Grant Us Hope? A 501(c)(3) in Cincinnati, Ohio
Founded by Diane Egbers, a mother who lost her 15 year-old son to suicide in 2015
Current Team
Executive Director- former superintendent
Program Manager
Lead Researcher/Program Evaluator- Hope Squad national researcher
Expanding team
Adding trainers, implementation coordinators, regional oversight
Administrative assistant

3. GUH: Vision and Mission
Accelerate capacity to prevent teen suicide within the Greater Cincinnati region and beyond, through increased awareness, collaboration, and advocacy.
Mission
Transform the conversation on suicide prevention and bridge local service gaps through collaborative, evidence-based research, education and programs.

4. The GUH Story
Started by searching for a school-based program to implement in the Southwestern Ohio region
Discovered Hope Squad via partnership with Jennifer Wright-Berryman
Began Hope Squads in local schools this year
Identified additional needs in districts (comprehensive prevention- intervention-postvention – “PIP” plans)
Added the PIP planning package for schools who desired additional support

5. Current Delivery Model for School Districts
Mental Health Agencies
Government Mandates
Community Advocates
School-Based Services
Hospitals
Creates a fragmented system of service that has limited district-wide impact
©2018 Grant Us Hope

6. PREVENTION, INTERVENTION AND POSTVENTION PLANNING
ASSESS
District needs around Mental Health, Trauma Supports, Suicide Prevention and Safety
IDENTIFY
Goals and Deliverables that enhance existing supports and close identified gaps in district’s infrastructure
ENLIST
community input, support and ownership of research based strategies
CONNECT
local resources AND agencies to match the needs of the district
EVALUATE & ADJUST
District plan to assess progress and additional areas of focus
DISTRICT NEEDS BASED SERVICE MODEL
©2018 Grant Us Hope

7. Assess Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention Inventory
Review together in first meeting (can also be done ahead of first meeting for efficiency)
What are schools already doing well?
In what areas do schools need to bolster their efforts, and what programs and activities do schools want to implement?

8. Prevention Hope Squad, peer-to-peer intentional outreach program
Suicide prevention and resource app*
Community and Parent education and training
Prevention research and evaluation
Mental health activities and events
Hope Squad leadership support
Student safety and education plan
*optional

9. Prevention Inventory and Opportunities
Prevention: Proactive suicide and safety programs that are continuously evaluated and meet the school’s needs.
Area of Focus
What are you doing currently?
Service Provider Resources
Other than Hope Squad, what school-based prevention efforts exist (universal, selective, indicated)?
How do you currently monitor student distress (electronic, student file, etc.)?
What is the plan to educate staff, students, parents, and community about mental wellness, school safety and suicide?
Are you expecting any barriers to fully implement your prevention plan based on your needs and timeline?
Areas of Opportunity
What does this look like?
How would we measure success?

10. Intervention
Resource guide for easy access to information for adult responders
Imminent risk plans with safety planning, training and support
Community mental health partnerships for streamlined access to care
Reintegration services for after students are hospitalized or out of school for mental health or suicide attempt
Suicide safety intervention program

11. Intervention Inventory and Opportunities
Intervention: Focused efforts on supporting streamlined access to internal and external emergency and treatment services, both immediate and ongoing, including safety monitoring and reintegration of students at risk.
Area of Focus
What are you doing currently?
Service Provider Resources
Do you have a resource guide or repository for quick access? If not, what assistance would be needed to create a guide?
Do you have an imminent risk protocol for a suicidal student? Do you employ safety planning?
What community agency/partnerships exist to improve access to care when needed? Who performs a comprehensive risk assessment and ongoing safety monitoring?
How do you currently handle re-integration post student hospitalization?
Areas of Opportunity
What does this look like?
How would we measure success?

12. Postvention
Urgent response protocol and guide for students, teachers, and staff
Oversight and support of crisis intervention and debriefing for both school and community
Recovery and healing plan and follow-up
Reintegration services for after students are hospitalized or out of school for mental health or suicide attempt
Support for postvention school-based infrastructure
Resource kit for internal and external communications
CRISIS TEAM AT EVERY SCHOOL

13. Postvention Inventory and Opportunities
Postvention: Proactive planning with school, surrounding community and external resources to have comprehensive crisis planning, track and monitor effectiveness and make improvements.
Area of Focus
What are you doing currently?
Service Provider Resources
Do you have a crisis response team? Are they trained in suicide postvention?
Is there an urgent response protocol for students specific to suicide loss?
What barriers to do perceive may exist in having a successful postvention process?
What preparations (staff communications, go kits, media, social media, and funeral policies) are in place to support the crisis response protocol?
Areas of Opportunity
What does this look like?
How would we measure success?

14. Identify
What are the gaps in the current structure to save student lives in the school?
Create goals, objectives, and activities for the academic year
What are the priorities?
What is the timeline?

15. Enlist Community Leadership Steering Committee
Comprised of parents, mental health providers, law enforcement, community leaders in business and other visionaries in the district
Participate in initial training and information sessions
Meet quarterly to assist in guiding, supporting, and providing oversight and feedback

16. (Names of Individuals or Groups)
Leader Stakeholder Assessment Identify & analyze key internal and external stakeholders of success in your role.
Define stakeholders by answering the following questions:
Who has interest in the mental wellness and safety of your District?
What enterprise leaders need to become more engage with your District?
Who can help you succeed?
Who could get in the way of your progress if they are not involved?
Who are the known strategic leaders who are already engaged with your District?
Who has a strong network of advocates to support your success?
Stakeholder
(Names of Individuals or Groups)
Level of Current Support
(High, Med, Low)
Importance to Our Success
Take Action to Influence?
(Yes / No)

17. Connect
In order to facilitate closing the gaps, we bring together community-based resources and schools to build a prevention, intervention, and postvention network.
Building this network takes time, but the end result is intended to be a seamless stronghold of personnel, communication, and practice that saves youth lives

18. Evaluate and Adjust Program evaluation Data collection
Hope Squad data (suicide concerns in counseling centers)
Model fidelity
Formative evaluation data (how is the process going?)
Parent study (some schools)
Program improvement based on evaluation findings
Hope Squad data- how many referrals are coming in, what are the nature of these referrals, what trends are we seeing?
Fidelity and outcomes, program endorsement
Formative evaluation data- feedback on implementation through consistent communication, adjust as we go

19. CRISIS TEAM AT EVERY SCHOOL
Mental Wellness and Safety Plan
PREVENTION
INTERVENTION
POSTVENTION
Hope Squad, peer-to-peer intentional outreach program
Resource guide for easy access to information for adult responders
Urgent response protocol and guide for students, teachers, and staff
*Suicide prevention/resource app
Imminent risk plans with safety planning, training and support
Oversight and support of crisis intervention and debriefing for both school and community
Community and Parent education and training
Community mental health partnerships for streamlined access to care
Recovery and healing plan and follow-up
Prevention research and evaluation
Reintegration services for after students are hospitalized or out of school for mental health or suicide attempt
Mental health activities and events
Suicide safety intervention program
Support for postvention school-based infrastructure
Hope Squad leadership support
Resource kit for internal and external communications
Student safety and education plan
CRISIS TEAM AT EVERY SCHOOL

20. Questions? Jennifer Wright-Berryman, Ph.D. wrigh2jb@ucmail.uc.edu
Keith Kline, Ph.D.
Grantushope.org