Suicide Awareness and Prevention

Pacific Coast Academy - Suicide Prevention Policy

Warning Signs of Suicide

It is vital to suicide prevention that individuals are equipped to recognize the warning signs of someone who is seriously contemplating suicide. Behaviors that may mean a person is at immediate risk for suicide and thus prompt you to take action right away include:

• Talking or writing about wanting to die or to kill one’s self and/making specific threats
• Looking for a way to kill one’s self, such as a new or sudden interest in buying a gun
• Talking about feeling hopeless or like there’s no point in living or carrying on
• Unusual or unexpected visits or calls to family and friends to say “goodbye” as if they will not be seen again or giving away favorite possessions
• Increased use/abuse of alcohol or drugs
• Withdrawing from social contact
• Intense mood swings
• Feeling trapped, hopeless, or helpless about a situation
• Changing normal routines including eating and sleeping patterns
• Doing risky or self-destructive things
• Personality changes or being severely anxious or agitated when experiencing the warning signs above.

The above behaviors do not necessarily indicate suicidal ideation in and of themselves. However, when combined with other factors (like a recent, painful loss or public moment of humiliation), they should take on a new sense of urgency to intervene with help.

Crisis Hotline Information

If you feel you or someone else is in imminent danger (e.g has access to a gun, is on a rooftop, or in other unsafe conditions), a call should be made immediately to 911. If you need to talk or help working through a problem, use the resources below.

Phone Numbers

• California Youth Crisis Line: 1(800) 843-5200
• HELPline: 1(951) 686-HELP (4357)
• National Suicide Hotline: 1(800) SUICIDE (784-2433)
• Teen Line: 1(800) 852-8336
• Teen Hotline: 1(714) NEWTEEN (639-8336)
• Trevor Lifeline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & questioning youth: 1(866) 488-7386

Text Numbers

• Crisis Text Hotline for when you don’t feel like talking - Text LISTEN to 741-741
• Suicide prevention lifeline Text TALK to 199-273

Websites

• Trevor Project https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• Coalition for youth crisis line https://calyouth.org/cycl/
• Teen Line: teenline.org/youth
• Know the signs http://www.suicideispreventable.org/

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) & Mental Health Resources

Websites to School Resources

• Family/Parent Resources from Student Support Team
• Growth Mindset & SEL Website
• Teachers/Staff - Mental Health MTSS
• Teachers/Staff - Youth Suicide Awareness & Prevention

Websites to County Resources