Metrowest

The MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation, an independent health care foundation serving 25 communities in Massachusetts’ MetroWest area, provided a grant to Screening for Mental Health™ Inc. to adapt its evidence-based, SOS Signs of Suicide® Prevention Program for high schools for use in middle schools. The program was developed with the help of school-based professionals from ten MetroWest middle schools, where the program was piloted.

The MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation grant marked a new advancement for the SOS program as it was the catalyst for the development and adaptation for younger students. During the first year of the MetroWest grant, Screening for Mental Health developed the program with the help of an advisory board comprised of MetroWest school professionals and clinical experts including William Beardslee, MD, Psychiatrist-in-Chief at Children’s Hospital Boston. The second year the program was piloted in the MetroWest schools. The middle school program will be offered to schools nationwide after the completion of its development.

“Unfortunately, there have been a number of teenage suicides in our area recently. Just as frightening are the statistics showing how many kids give serious thought to suicide. We must stop the growing epidemic of teen suicide and self-injury. Prevention and education are key to this effort and the SOS middle school program has the tools to make it happen. The MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation is proud to sponsor the development of this important program,” say Martin D. Cohen, President and CEO of the MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation.

“I cannot think of anything more tragic than losing a child to a self-inflicted death by suicide,” acknowledged state Senator Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “Unfortunately, communities across our Commonwealth and country have been increasingly touched by adolescents with mental health issues, and some of these teens are no longer with us. I am thrilled that the MetroWest Healthcare Foundation has funded this grant for Screening for Mental Health to develop a pilot suicide prevention program for middle schools with our MetroWest towns. This grant fills a big public health gap and will help us be more proactive in educating and communicating awareness about these difficult mental health challenges and their treatments to our youth, parents and communities. This SOS middle school program is another vital step toward the day when suicide will no longer be considered an option by our youth.”

The main teaching tool of the SOS program is a video that teaches students how to identify symptoms of depression and suicidality in themselves or their friends and encourages help-seeking. The program’s primary objectives are to educate teens that depression is a treatable illness and to equip them to respond to a potential suicide in a friend or family member using the SOS technique. SOS is an action-oriented approach instructing students how to ACT (Acknowledge, Care and Tell) in the face of this mental health emergency. A kit of materials is provided that includes a staff procedure manual and training video, student screening forms in English and Spanish, an educational video and discussion guide, and brochures on suicide and depression for students and parents.

For more information about the SOS program or the outreach described here, call (800) 253-7658, ext. 108 or
Email: Champions @ mentalhealthscreening.org