Jerome Joint School District No. 261

STUDENTS 3530

Suicide

While the District has a responsibility to notify a student’s parent/guardian regarding any known changes in the

student’s mental, physical, or emotional health or well-being, neither a school district nor a teacher has a duty to

warn of the suicidal tendencies of a student absent the teacher’s or school district’s knowledge of direct evidence

of such suicidal tendencies. The Board directs the Superintendent or their designee to draft and implement

procedures relating to:

1. Suicide prevention;

2. Suicide intervention; and

3. Suicide postvention.

"Postvention" shall mean counseling or other social care given to students after another student’s suicide or

attempted suicide.

These procedures may include, but are not limited to, the following measures:

1. Prevention:

A. Offering and providing help and assistance, including early identification;

B. Support and/or counseling by school support personnel for low-risk students;

C. Referral to appropriate sources outside the school for high and moderate-risk students;

D. The designation of a District-level suicide prevention coordinator(s) by the Superintendent to be

responsible for planning and coordinating the implementation of procedures addressing suicide.

E. Encouraging staff to report to the counselor or administrator students they believe may be at

elevated risk of suicide.

F. Education of students on suicide prevention through age-appropriate curriculum.

G. Small group suicide prevention programming.

H. Additional training on suicide prevention for all staff for whom such training is deemed

necessary.

I. Offering resources to parents/guardians on suicide prevention.

2. Intervention:

A. Contacting the parents/guardians of students identified as at imminent risk of suicide.

B. Contacting emergency services to assist a student who is at imminent risk of suicide.

C. Providing first aid until emergency personnel arrive, as appropriate.

D. Moving other students away from the immediate area of any suicide attempt on District property

or at a District event.

3. Postvention:

A. After care support by the school for faculty, staff, and students after a sudden death has

occurred.

B. The development of a plan for responding to a death by suicide that has a significant impact on

the school community.

C. Notification of the suicide prevention coordinator, if applicable.

D. The creation of a crisis team to respond to deaths by suicide that have a significant impact on the

school community.

E. Contacting the State Department of Education to report any student deaths by suicide and to

seek postvention assistance and/or resources.

F. Offering mental health services to students likely to be strongly affected by a recent death.

G. Appointing a spokesperson to handle inquiries related to issues involving suicide in the District.

Following notification of District staff of a suicide attempt by a student or following the identification of a student

as being at imminent risk of suicide, the building principal may require a note from the student’s doctor or

counselor stating that it is the doctor or counselor’s opinion that the student is ready to return to school. The

student and their parent/guardian may will meet with the Cares Team to create a safety plan for the student’s

return to school, including any appropriate accommodations needed by the student.

District personnel shall attend to the rights of the student and their family.

The District shall comply with all requirements of State law and administrative rules for training by personnel on

suicide prevention and awareness.

Legal Reference: I.C. § 33-136 Suicide Prevention in Schools

I.C. § 33-512B District Trustees - Suicidal Tendencies – Duty to Warn

I.C. § 33-6001 Parental Rights

I.D.A.P.A. 08.02.02.112 Suicide Prevention in Schools

I.D.A.P.A. 08.02.03.160 Safe Environment and Discipline

Policy History:

Adopted on: 04/28/2009

Revised on: 12/17/2019

Revised on: 10/24/2023

Revised on: 05/28/2024