Programs

S.O.S. Signs of Suicide

In 2018, we piloted the S.O.S. suicide prevention program with 8th grade students during PE classes. We now visit 8th grade ELA classes each January to present the curriculum and have all students complete a screener for symptoms of depression. Counseling also visits 7th grade Life Skills classes throughout the school year to introduce a portion of the SOS program and ensure that students know how to access support for themselves or a friend. The SOS Program is the only youth suicide prevention program that has demonstrated an improvement in students’ knowledge and adaptive attitudes about suicide risk and depression, as well as a reduction in actual suicide attempts. Listed on Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices, the SOS Program has shown a reduction in self-reported suicide attempts by 40-64% in randomized control studies (Aseltine et al., 2007; Schilling et al., 2016).

The SOS program encourages students to seek help for themselves or a friend so that a trusted adult can get them the support they need. Through the SOS program, school staff, students and parents learn more about depression and suicide and steps for getting help through the simple acronym ACT:

Acknowledge that you or a friend has a serious concern
Care by listening to your friend/child
Tell a trusted adult, in order to get help

Solution Teams

The Solution Team response to bullying was created by No Bully as a non-punitive way of addressing bullying dynamics that have arisen within a classroom or group of students. Under the Solution Team response, the counselor pulls together a team of students to solve the bullying of one of their peers. Solution Team offers a simple six-step procedure that includes an initial meeting and two follow-up meetings.

Solution Team is an opportunity for students to learn and apply empathy on behalf of their peers. It helps stop bullying dynamics in most cases.

THE SOLUTION TEAM RESPONSE TO BULLYING

The counselor meets with the target and asks if they want help.
The counselor, with the help of the targeted student, selects the members of the Solution Team.
The facilitator convenes the first meeting of the Solution Team. The Targeted student is never present for this meeting. The Solution Team addresses the problem and comes up with solutions.
The counselor checks in with the target to let them know how the meeting went.
One week later the facilitator first checks in with the targeted student - to make sure things have improved. Then the counselor convenes the second meeting of the Solution Team to ensure that the problem has been solved and the the targeted student is no longer being bullied.
The targeted student and the counselor meet to continue to monitor progress.

For more detailed information about Solution Teams and Kent’s response to bullying, please click here.

Being ADEPT

8th grade students receive direct instruction in the Being Adept program, a comprehensive drug and alcohol awareness program that explores the dynamics that can lead to substance use and abuse. It offers tools and practical skills for students to resist and desist from using alcohol/drugs.

For more information about Being ADEPT, feel free to visit their website: http://livingadept.org/beingadept/