News
Teen Life Is Stressful, Too - But Help Is Nearby
By Ryan Fennell
Suicide is the 13th ranking cause of death in New Jersey. Between 1999 and 2005, an average of 569 residents died by suicide each year.
In 2005 in New Jersey there were 23 completed suicides by persons between the ages of 15 and 19. In 2005, there was an additional 513 hospitalized attempts in the same age group.
In January of 2006 the New Jersey Legislature approved a bill that "requires the State Board of Education to include two hours of instruction in suicide prevention as part of professional development for public school teaching staff members and to revise the Core Curriculum Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education to include suicide-prevention instruction."
Several Two River area school districts have been proactively addressing suicide risk and prevention since the early part of this decade.
Red Bank Regional High School provides a school based youth service known as The Source that offers a wide variety of services.
"The Source is a very good place for kids to come because we have an actual drop-in center," Clinical Supervisor of The Source Stacy Liss said. "The goal is to de-stigmatize mental health and to distinguish between normal sadness and melancholy and clinical depression."
The Source is funded through the New Jersey Division of Children and Families, RBR, and a non-profit agency Liss said.
"The Source certainly adds more support to the school, and we're definitely seeing more kids as a result of being here," Liss said.
According to Liss, The Source's mission is to remove emotional obstacles in adolescents' lives so they can get on with their day and focus on school.
RBR also runs a Signs of Suicide (S.O.S.) program that the school began in 2004.
The S.O.S. program visits health education classes each marking period in order to reach every student.
"As a result we have had students who self-identify whether or not they need to speak with someone and have followed up," Liss said.
The Source provides licensed Masters level clinicians that can screen students and deem whether or not they are at risk. According to Liss, if a student exhibits a real risk to themselves or others, necessary actions are taken. If a student shows signs of sadness or depression, The Source clinicians can refer the student to an outside physician or the student can see a clinician at The Source if they choose.
"I think the school is very proactive in discussing these issues and trying to de-stigmatize depression and mental health concerns," Liss said. "We are reaching kids and kids are disclosing and coming forward."
RBR also has a crisis team led by the Assistant Principal, School Psychologist, Liss, and the Director of Guidance. Members of the team include teachers, the school nurse, community members, social workers, and members of area churches.
"We have a variety of people so that when we do have some major community school crisis we can bring these people in to give support," Liss said. "These kids definitely have places to go when there is a crisis."
Red Bank Catholic High School also employs the S.O.S. program and implements it in its religion classes.
The presentation gives students the opportunity to engage in discussion about the many issues teenagers face and also allows them the opportunity to confidentially request to speak with someone within the next 24 hours.
"It has really opened up the kids' eyes to know that people in the school really care about you," Patty Bergen the school's nurse said. "There are a lot of people that care. (the program) has really helped in a lot of ways."
RBC also provides a social worker that is in the school two times per week as well as a Student Assistance Counselor who is present every day of the week that students can speak to confidentially.
"There is always someone to talk to here," Bergen said.
Teachers and staff all receive in-service training on various issues and suicide prevention at RBC.
The Middletown School district also provides students with a wide range of services for students in need. The district holds in-service training for the entire staff twice per year and conducts threat-assessment workshops according to the Assistant Superintendent Dave Healy.
Healy said that the district provides a comprehensive screening process to make sure that a student is not a danger to him- or herself or others through a committee of professionals that includes the school nurse, school psychologist, administrators, and teachers.
The entire student body meets in groups and discussions are held regarding suicide prevention, signs and symptoms, and how to report if someone is expressing suicide ideation.
The Middletown school district has brought in counselors from CPC Behavioral Health and has provided them with an office. CPC is unaffiliated with the school but are in the school as a separate counseling service for the students in addition to other counseling components in the building Healy said.
"We let the students know through a number of venues over several time periods that the administration is available, the student assistance counselors are available and the guidance counselors are available," Healy said. "The bottom line is education and awareness and letting them know over and over again all the different outlets that are available, and that they are not alone."
Middletown has gone as far as developing a partnership with CPC outside of the district for those students that find themselves in crisis.
"Middletown has been very proactive in providing resources and training," Healy said.
While parents retain the option of choosing their own physician for a student in crisis, the school district will pay for an assessment if the parent chooses to use a district recommended provider.
"We don't want to diminish the quality of the assessment but we want to expedite the process. If a parent goes with the district recommended providers, CPC currently, the district will pay for the assessment," Healy said. "We don't want to add to the stress levels of the parents who may not have an appropriate physician at the time."
"We've partnered with CPC so these kids are getting the help they need in a timely fashion without causing additional stress or financial burden."
St. John Vianney High School in Holmdel provides a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Dan Struble for students to speak with three days per week as well as a Student Resource Officer five days per week.
"My position here is to deal with crises," Struble said. "Kids have access to me on their own if they choose, and it is confidential."
Struble said that he is in the school on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays but is always available by phone if he is not in the building.
The teachers and staff also receive in-service training on suicide prevention.
Struble provides the teachers, staff, and students with a presentation on how to identify and address suicidal crises.
Teens may also contact 2ndfloor.org at (888) 222-2228 for confidential and anonymous help.
