PARENT FORUM: Training Trusted Adults: Signs of Suicide Program

Training Trusted Adults: Signs of
Suicide Program

Thursday February 6, 2014

7:00-8:30pm Ottoson Cafeteria

For parents 6-12

 Rebecca Davis of Screening for Mental Health will host a
workshop for parents and adults in our community on how to talk with our youth
about suicide.  This parent forum is
timed the week before Ottoson Middle School implements SOS Signs of Suicide®
Prevention Program. This will be the second year in a row that Ottoson youth
will be screened for depression. Arlington High School implemented this program
as well this year

The evidence-based
SOS Program was created to assist in prevention efforts and to address the issues
of youth depression, suicide, and self-injury simultaneously and age
appropriately. The program uses a universal approach to assist in
identification of at-risk youth.

SOS teaches
students that depression is a treatable illness. Through the use of an
educational DVD and discussion guide, students are taught that suicide is not a
normal response to stress, but rather a preventable tragedy that often occurs
as a result of untreated depression. Students are given specific action steps,
encouraged to engage in a discussion about these issues with their parents as
well as utilize the peer-to-peer help-seeking model known as ACT® (Acknowledge-Care-Tell).

Rebecca Davis,
LICSW is the Youth Programs Manager at Screening for Mental Health. She is a
licensed independent clinical social worker with an MSW from Boston University.
Rebecca speaks regularly to small and large audiences on implementation of an
evidence-based school suicide prevention program and self-injury prevention
program. Rebecca presents to professional groups at national conferences,
including school social workers, nurses, psychologists, and counselors. She has
worked with adolescents and families in school, hospital, and home-based
settings and has additional experience in suicide prevention/postvention and
community trauma response. Rebecca has been working in the field of social work
and suicide prevention since 2006.