Sandy Hook Promise Launches New No-Cost Programs to Prevent Youth Suicide and Violence

"Say Something: Prevent Suicide" and "Being a Trusted Adult" Expand the "Know the Signs" Message

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Sep 01, 2020, 14:47 ET

NEWTON, Conn., Sept. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Suicide is quickly becoming a leading cause of death for children, as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control finds one in four young people are reporting suicidal thoughts. Students, educators, and parents can now learn the warning signs of suicide and how to help, thanks to Sandy Hook Promise's new Say Something trainings that launch nationwide today.

Say Something: Prevent Suicide is a research-based course that expands on the proven Say Something program and:

Custom suicide prevention training for parents; versions also available for students and educators.

is the first of its kind to provide separate content each for students, educators, and parents
teaches the warning signs and risk factors of suicide
provides expert guidance on what to do when seeing someone at risk of harming themselves
includes a 20-minute training video, worksheet, and resource guide
can be done remotely for adult training (due to the sensitive nature of the content, a school-based setting is required for student training).

Explore the Say Something program and get access to the resource materials:

https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/our-programs/say-something/

"Youth suicide is becoming a public health crisis in our country. We're seeing this trend reflected every day in the types of tips that come into the Crisis Center of our Say Something Anonymous Reporting System," said Nicole Hockley, co-founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise and mother of Dylan, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy. "To actively reverse this trend during these trying times, it's more important than ever that students, educators, and parents know the signs and take action to get help before a tragedy can happen."

Relatedly, an interactive Say Something: Being a Trusted Adult professional development workshop for educators equips teachers and administrators to better support students who speak up about warning signs of self-harm, violence, and victimization. This new training was originally conceived by Sandy Hook Promise's National Youth Advisory Board as a way to help students feel more confident in sharing sensitive information with adults.

To date, more than 12 million people nationwide have participated in Sandy Hook Promise's proven Know the Signs programs that train youth and adults to identify at-risk behavior and intervene to get help before a tragedy can occur. Through these no-cost programs, Sandy Hook Promise has averted multiple school shooting plots, teen suicides, and countless other acts of violence.

About Sandy Hook Promise: Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) is a national nonprofit organization based in Newtown, Connecticut. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.  SHP's mission is to create a culture engaged in preventing shootings, violence, and other harmful acts in schools. Through its proven Know the Signs programs, SHP educates and empowers youth and adults to recognize, intervene, and get help for individuals who may be socially isolated and/or at risk of hurting themselves or others. SHP is a moderate, above-the-politics organization that supports sensible program and policy solutions that address the "human side" of gun violence by preventing individuals from ever getting to the point of picking up a firearm to hurt themselves or others. Our words, actions, and impact nationwide are intended to honor all victims of gun violence by turning our tragedy into a moment of transformation. Make the Promise at www.sandyhookpromise.org.

SOURCE Sandy Hook Promise