6Although school mental health specialists already understand that suicide and self-injury among students represents a significant and growing concern, emerging data challenges traditional perceptions about suicide risk in schools. Students of all ages and grade levels are at risk, but certain groups of students are disproportionately affected. There are many causes for this increased risk, including the pandemic, racism, social unrest, sleep disturbances, higher rates of mental illness, loneliness, bullying, and increased screen time. School mental health specialists must meet this new reality by developing and leading a comprehensive approach where all staff, teachers, students, and parents have a role to play in saving lives. Suicide and Self Injury in Schools: Interventions for School Mental Health Specialists can be a vital tool for making suicide prevention a shared responsibility.

Throughout the book, each time authors Darcy Haag Granello, Paul Granello, and Gerald Juhnke present a new concept, risk category, or application idea, it is immediately followed by a concrete, practical strategy. There are more than 120 of these research-backed strategies, all of which have been tested in practice. This book provides a research-informed, practical strategy for how schools can develop and implement a systemic and realistic school-wide approach. Readers will learn step-by-step approaches that will ultimately lead to the creation of a comprehensive school-wide suicide prevention program.