SuicidePrevention Awareness

What do you do if you are concerned about someone?

If there has been any self or other harmful action taken by the person that you are concerned about, call 911 first and then call the Edison State Department of Public Safety at 937.778.7820. In certain situations,  you must often make a judgement call.

Someone at Mild Risk

Someone at mild risk (someone with a mental health concern without risk of suicide) can be provided with the contact information to the Edison State Coordinator of the Student Wellness Center. You may also refer the individual to this web  page for additional resources.

Always provide the person with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline—call 988 and the National Suicide Prevention Text Line—text 988.

A person does not need to be suicidal to utilize these services. The crisis line professionals will speak to individuals who may be distressed for any number of reasons. A person may be experiencing distress due to employment difficulties; they may be seeking help for a friend; or they may just be feeling lonely. After hours, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. You may also utilize the online Edison State CARE Team Referral Form.

Someone at High Risk

Someone at a high risk for suicide will show the signs as previously described. They may make direct statements about self or other harm with an immediate plan. The person may have the means or access to ways to harm themselves. They may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs that could lead to harm.

Even without immediate plans or access to harmful means, a direct statement about suicide should be taken seriously. You may receive the information by a variety of sources: in-person, by phone or by email.

in person—on campus

When responding to an at-risk individual in person on campus, please do the following:

1. If it is between 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., please escort the student to the Student Affairs Office, West Hall, Room 160 or to the Dean’s Office at the Edison State at Greenville location.
2. If you cannot escort the student to the above location, call the Edison State Department of Public Safety at 937.778.7820. Notify them that there is a crisis. Stay with the person until help arrives.

in person—oFF campus

When responding to an at-risk individual in person off campus, please do the following:

1. Call 911.
2. Stay with the individual until help arrives.
3. Follow up by completing a CARE Team Referral Form.

by phone

When responding to an at-risk individual via phone, please do the following:

1. As the individual for the following information: name, phone number, location, whether or not they are alone, and whether self or other harmful action has been taken. Try to ascertain if they have access to lethal means. 
2. Have someone call 911 while you remain on the phone with the individual.
3. Keep the individual on the phone.
4. If you lose contact, call 911 immediately.
5. Follow up by completing a CARE Team Referral Form.

by email

When responding to an at-risk individual via email, please do the following:

1. Save the email.  You may be asked to forward the email to administration or to the CARE Team for review.
2. Express sincere concern and empathy.
3. Direct the individual to the Tri-County Board of Recovery & Mental Health Services for resource information.
4. Always provide the individual with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline—call 988 and the National Suicide Prevention Text Line—text 988.
5. Encourage the individual to continue reaching out.
6. Request that they respond to your email so that you know that they received it.
7. Be transparent about your actions. Tell the individual that you want to ensure that they receive the most comprehensive services available at Edison State, so you have reached out to the Coordinator of Student Wellness and/or to the Edison State Department of Public Safety.
8. Inform the individual that they are not in trouble, and that you are just trying to provide them with the help that they need.
9. Follow up by completing a CARE Team Referral Form.

What do you stay to an individual in distress, while waiting for help?

When you are worried about someone, you may be concerned about saying or doing the wrong thing. It is not about saying exactly the right words. The important thing to do is to show you care. Listen to the person without judgment. Remain patient and accepting. The conversation might seem negative and uncomfortable, but talking is always a positive step. Share campus resources and refer the person to this section of Edison State website.

You can ask the at-risk individual:

• "How can I best support you right now?"
• "When you have experienced difficulties in the past what has helped?"

You may also want to express the following:

• "You are not alone in this. I am here for you."
• "While I might not understand exactly how you feel, I care about you and I want to help."

What you can expect after 911 or Edison State Security has been notified.

• When the police arrive, they will want to have a conversation with the distressed person to understand the situation.
• Police officers care first and foremost about their safety. They are there to support individuals in difficult situations. Neither the caller nor the person in distress are in trouble. The police will transport the distressed individual to the hospital if needed unless it is a medical emergency, in which case paramedics will be notified.
• After this crisis has been resolved, you should consult with the Coordinator of Student Wellness. Seeing a friend or colleague in distress can be traumatic and it is important that you speak with someone about what has occurred.

Additional Training

Being an advocate for another person does not necessarily need to be learned. The most important thing that you can do is be empathic to an individual that is in need. It's important to listen, to support and to help and individual find help if necessary. Regardless, additional training is always helpful. Interested in learning more about how to help someone at risk for suicide? Visit the Tri-County Board of Recovery & Mental Health Services website. They offer Mental Health First Aid training to those interested in learning how to help people in distress.