September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month!
How can you help to raise awareness?
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide has several ways that both your school and your community can help us support our mission to #saveteens and spread awareness!
The Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide offers a variety of resources that can help your school community address the problem of youth suicide. From free, online trainings for educators, to downloadable handouts, the SPTS website has it all. Be sure to check out our site for information on trainings available to both staff and students, as well as activities for help-seeking, including:
- Free, Online Training
- Not My Kid: What Every Parent should Know (Available with Spanish Subtitles)
- Downloadable handouts for Staff, Parents, and Students
- In-Person Training Opportunities including Lifelines and Making Educators Partners
- SPTS Youth Council and Youth Summits
- SPTS Blog
Thinking about an event aimed at parents? Presentations are available for parents from the SPTS Clinical Director and authorized trainers. Speaking directly about their own experience as a survivor of suicide loss, the presentation discusses the ways parents can be an advocate for their child, the options for seeking help, and national and location specific suicide statistics. A question and answer session closes out the presentation, and free resources from SPTS are distributed. To schedule a parent presentation, please call us at: (732) 410-7900 or [email protected].
Host a Fundraiser for SPTS
Help promote suicide prevention awareness with a fundraiser at your school to benefit the work of the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide! Money raised from your school’s efforts can go directly to materials and training for your school community.
Not only will this help to support the mission of SPTS, but it can also build camaraderie and school spirit amongst your students. Some ideas include:
- Suicide Prevention Walk, Run, Bike or Swim
- Carwash
- Bake Sale
- “Donate to Dress Down”
- Sell “Friends Help Friends” wristbands
- Create a SPTS Crowdrise campaign
Enter in the Suicide Prevention Awareness PSA Competition
All high school students across New Jersey are encourage to create a Public Service Announcement focusing on messages that promote suicide prevention awareness. Each entrant is required to include the 2nd Floor Helpline number into their PSA to help spread this vital resource to as many kids as possible. Students may enter in one of four PSA categories; video, audio, poster, and billboard design.
Please visit our contest website for the official rules/submission guidelines, application process, and to view the entries from previous years. The deadline to submit an entry is November 19th, 2018. For any questions regarding the PSA contest contact us at (732) 410-7900 or at [email protected].