Elyssa’s Mission is proud to bring this program to your school free of cost thanks to our donors.
SOS Signs of Suicide teaches students how to identify signs of depression and suicide in themselves and their peers, while training school professionals, parents, and community members to recognize at-risk students and take appropriate action.
Using SOS, 90% of schools have seen an increase in students seeking help for themselves or a friend, with 95% believing the program also reduced stigma in schools.
What sets the SOS Signs of Suicide program apart from other programs?
The SOS program doesn’t just educate students; it helps to save young lives through its unique programming: because vital screening is built into the program, school staff and parents can identify at-risk youth and get them the help they need before it’s too late.
SOS Signs of Suicide is the only school-based suicide prevention program to show a reduction (by 40-60%) in self-reported suicide attempts in a randomized controlled study.
-(Aseltine et al., 2007 & Schilling et al., 2016)
What is the goal of the SOS program?
The SOS program seeks to teach youth that depression is a treatable illness, empower them to respond to a potential suicide (themselves, a friend or a family member), and prevent teen suicide. These goals are accomplished through the ACT technique:
Acknowledge you or a friend may be depressed or suicidal
Respond with Care
Tell a trusted adult
How does the SOS program empower students?
- By helping teens understand the important connection between undiagnosed, untreated mental illness and suicide
- By teaching teens the signs of suicide
- By outlining action steps for dealing with these signs as a mental health emergency
Why did Elyssa’s Mission choose the SOS program?
- It was developed by mental health professionals (MindWise Innovations).
- It is evidence-based; SOS was selected by SAMHSA for its National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices.
- It is cost-effective.
- The program is easily implemented by existing school personnel during one or two class periods.
- It uses proven screening tools that ensure not just education, but also critical follow up.
“Screening programs are incredibly effective…“We should be asking these questions the way we monitor for blood pressure. Same thing in schools.”
— Kelly Posner, director of the Columbia University Medical Center’s Center
for Suicide Risk Assessment – Source
How is the SOS program implemented?
Elyssa’s Mission provides school personnel with all SOS program materials, and further assists schools with all phases of implementation: planning, training, teaching and follow-up, all free-of-cost to schools! The critical program components include:
- Online Video and Discussion Guide
These powerful teaching tools describe the signs and symptoms of depression and suicide, and highlight the right and wrong way for students to respond. - Depression Screening
Both the high school and middle school program utilize the Brief Screen for Adolescent Depression (BSAD), which helps school staff to identify students that may potentially have depression and subsequently link them to needed resources.
The program further provides educational materials for school personnel and parents. For more information on the SOS program visit https://www.mindwise.org/suicide-prevention
If you want to partner with Elyssa’s Mission and bring the SOS program to your school fill out our New School Intake Form HERE