Garfield Re-2 Policies

JLDBB-R

Intervention in Suicide Attempts

Physical evidence of attempted suicide

Any staff member who discovers or is informed about physical evidence resulting from an attempted suicide (drug overdose, self-mutilation, etc.) will take the student  to the nurse’s office, inform the nurse, leave the student in care of the nurse and immediately inform the principal.

 

1. The principal will:

 

a. Notify the student’s parents/guardians and request that they come to school.

 

b. Report to and/or contact the nurse’s office to ascertain what other assistance may be necessary.

 

c. Inform the superintendent or his designee, the coordinator of nursing services and the student’s guidance counselor where appropriate.

 

d. In the absence of the school nurse, remain with the student or designate another staff member to do so, call for an ambulance if necessary and accompany the student to an emergency medical facility.

 

e. Notify the superintendent of all actions taken and follow-up procedures by submitting an incident report.

 

2. The nurse will:

 

a. Do a physical assessment and administer first aid if necessary.

 

b. Keep the student in the nurse’s office until appropriate arrangements are made.

 

c. Make arrangements for an ambulance if required and accompany the student to an emergency medical facility.

 

3. The guidance counselor will:

 

a. Inform a member of the child study team.

 

b. Inform the crisis intervention social worker if applicable.

 

Potential suicide without physical evidence

 

Any district employee who receives or discovers information about a potential suicide (notes, threats, conversations, etc.) will notify the principal immediately.

 

The principal will immediately interview the student or designate appropriate personnel, i.e., guidance counselor, crisis intervention social worker or nurse, to do so.

 

The principal will notify the student’s parents/guardians and request that they come to school.  Upon arrival, he/she will advise the parents/guardians to contact professional help.  If the principal has reason to believe that the parents/guardians will have difficulty following through with the referral to professional help, he/she may wish to designate a staff member to accompany the parents/guardians and student to the initial meeting.  All treatment shall be at the expense of the parents/guardians.

 

Follow-up procedures

 

1. Upon return to school, the student accompanied by his or her parent/guardian will report to the principal or designee for readmission.

 

2. The guidance counselor in a high school or middle school will refer the student to the crisis intervention social worker or other appropriate professional.

 

3. The principal in an elementary school will submit a consultation/referral form to the appropriate professional.

 

Approved: November 27, 2007

 

Garfield School District No. Re-2, Rifle, Colorado