Supporting youth with increased safety concerns
JFS’s school-based mental health program, KidSuccess, provides counseling services in school during the academic day, using a hands-on approach that creates a supportive environment inside and outside of school to foster achievement, self-esteem, resilience, and personal responsibility.
Our KidSuccess team joins each school’s staff to support teachers, youth, and their families and has expanded to four new schools across two school districts (Denver Public Schools and Adams 12 Five Star School District), serving a total of 23 elementary, middle, and high schools with higher needs. They help students address trauma at varying levels, and of particular concern is the rise of students expressing suicidal thoughts.
To help reinforce the conversation around suicide assessment and deterrence, last month Dr. Hasti Raveau, PhD, LP, President of the Danny Boy Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing suicide specifically in neurodivergent individuals, presented an insightful half-day training session for the KidSuccess team and other client-facing JFS staff.
From increased screen time and social media to easy and available access to global news to peer challenges, kids are experiencing elevated levels of stress and anxiety more than ever. Sometimes, especially when you haven’t yet developed the necessary coping skills to separate yourself from what’s happening around you, the exposure to unhealthy thoughts and risks is magnified.
KidSuccess clients range from 5 to 18 years old, and while we cannot predict which child will attempt suicide, prevention is crucial. “Suicide prevention is more than crisis response,” stressed Dr. Raveau. “As a part of every intake, you must assess risk and where the person is in that moment. It’s also critical not to dismiss statements because a child is young.”
Our KidSuccess staff constantly work to reduce vulnerability, notice changes, and engage in open conversations to provide preventive support and give students the best chance of success. We are grateful for their contributions!