RICHFIELD, OH, July 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Navigate360, the nation’s leader in holistic school safety solutions, has announced the launch of a new Suicide Awareness & Prevention solution designed to help school districts implement and manage a comprehensive suicide-prevention program that can save lives. The program is the first of its kind to combine the crucial components of suicide risk screening and case management with eLearning for all school staff members, making it easier to identify, intervene and support at-risk youth.
“Tragically, suicide is the second leading cause of death among kids over 10 in the United States. To eliminate this trend, we need to ensure every student gets the support they need,” said JP Guilbault, CEO of Navigate360. “All schools are aware of this issue, but too few have appropriate resources and the knowledge base to properly address it. We need to empower teachers, staff and parents with the tools they need to intervene and provide support in the best possible way.”
The new solution was developed in partnership with Dr. Scott Poland, an internationally recognized expert in youth suicide prevention and professor at NSU. The curriculum is based on his years of experience working in K12 schools, as well as his time spent researching and consulting with schools and publishing several books on the subject (including Best Practices chapters for the National Association of School Psychologists). The program addresses how to talk about suicide, identify the warning signs and risk factors, properly intervene and manage postvention. Navigate360’s offering includes district and school staff interactive online courses coupled with an easy-to-use case management workflow that ensures every school takes a consistent, evidence-based approach to tackling this critical issue.
“Open discussion around suicide is critical for saving lives,” said Dr. Poland. “It gives students the chance to unburden themselves and lets them know help is available. Navigate360’s solution – Guide to Preventing Suicide, or ‘GPS’ for short – equips schools with the resources and tools needed to appropriately address and prevent suicide and self-harm.”
An extension of Navigate360’s already-robust Behavioral Threat Assessment (BTA) Case Management software, the suicide screening and management components enable schools to assess, monitor and provide follow-up support for students at risk for self-harm to ensure they get the resources they need and to develop a student-centric management plan so that no student falls through the cracks. The software incorporates the nationally recognized Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), a commonly used tool for teachers and school counselors to determine a student’s risk. Additional assessment, guidance and critical documentation features help staff follow best practices and ensure students are supported every step of the way.
About Navigate360
Navigate360 empowers people to stay safe and thrive physically, socially and emotionally. Utilized in more than 35,000 schools and communities, the company's solutions span the full spectrum of safety, including threat detection and prevention, mental health and wellness and safety management and preparedness. Together, leading industry experts and a team of passionate individuals provide the smartest ways to stay safe, mitigate risk and save lives. To learn more about Navigate360, visit www.navigate360.com.