Suicide awareness education in schools: The development of a core program and subsequent modifications for special populations or institutions

This article outlines a suicide prevention program and shows how modification is necessary for special populations or institutions. Noting that it is a mistake to educate just the young, it is argued that programs must also address the needs of parents, teachers, and administrators. One of the most important and challenging objectives of school programs is to encourage teenagers, as well as parents and educators, to overcome their natural reluctance to acknowledge that a fellow teen is in trouble and then take action on the teen's behalf. It is concluded that the program must be appropriate and acceptable; modification may be necessary because of organizational issues (such as reluctance of upper administration) and demographic issues (such as academic level of the school, ethnic or racial background).