Suicide is a mental struggle in which individuals harm themselves up until the point where they kill themselves. This struggle has been going on in the United States quite more often now that technology has come about. Technology has made it easier for children to be bullied. Sometimes students are bullied within their schools, and then are also being bullied over the internet. This creates a never ending cycle that can cause a child to become depressed and harm themselves. The topic of suicide is something that I hold personally because I had a family member that was going through hardships and let his mental struggles get the best of him and he end up taking his own life.
The program that I was asked to evaluate was Screening for Mental Health, Inc. This is an organization that was founded in 1990 when the founder, Douglas Jacobs created a screening for those people that he sought to be depressed. Within this organization are various initiatives such as Stop a Suicide, a National Depression Screening Day, MassMen (which is a suicide prevention group for working aged men within the state of Massachusetts), and Stay Strong Boston (which was developed in response to the Boston Marathon Shooting). All these initiatives have been and still are great motivators for those who may feel that they have no one to turn to. In addition to the National Depression Screening Day which is usually observed in October, there is also a National Alcohol Screening Day in April and a National Eating Disorder Day which is usually observed during the last week of February. The program that was evaluated provides many mental health programs that can reach people at all different stages of their life: teenagers, to older adults. The program aids college/university students, middle and high schools, community organizations, work places, and special initiatives. We chose to focus on the program that targets students within middle and high schools. Some overall goals that this organization has accomplished was, taking a proactive approach to mental wellness, increasing understanding, connecting those in need with quality treatment and people that are able to help, and reducing stigmas and increase help-seeking behaviors.
NEEDS ASSESSMENT:
This program benefits high school students that attend secondary schools. There were two different types of research methods that were used to assess the needs of the students: online and in person mental health screening. The online screening platform was used to provide a safe and anonymous way for people to check the status of their mental health. The online assessment was a survey styled assessment. For example, the organization would ask, how many times a week do you feel depressed? The participant would then click the range of numbers that applies to them. There was also an SOS Implementer Training in which it prepared schools, districts, or youth service providers to educate their students using the SOS Program. The training focused on facilitating a discussion about depression and suicide with students, universal depression screening for students, and preparing how to follow up with students. To measure how depressed the students have been feeling, an observational assessment could have been used.
There is also a SOS Program Certified Training Institute. This is a two-day course designed to prepare participants to guide school staff and individuals from other youth-serving organization to implement the SOS Program. Certified trainers will have the ability to provide training and support across schools, districts, cities, and towns. This training will focus on the best practices in reaching out to the youth in need, liability and suicide prevention/screening, and non-suicidal self-injury.
Plan, Prepare, Prevent is an online module that was designed for faculty and staff that are looking to deepen their understanding of youth mental health and that are considering implementing an evidence-based suicide prevention program. This training will include information in regards to mental illness, suicide, risk and protective factors, as well as teaching participants how to recognize and respond to the warning signs of depression and suicide.
PROCESS EVALUATION:
As the program evaluator, I believed that the program was being implemented the way it was intended. This program was intended to help students and adults along their journey of being in a stable mental state and to help reduce the stigma/comfort them with those that have been in the same position as them. I believe that the program was implemented the way that it was intended to be because the rate of suicides have dropped. This program gave not only students but everyday adults the reassurance that they had someone or an organization filled with people that would have their back even when they felt like no one did. They gave students, and adults a sense of belonging and a sense of family.
Three problems that we did find within the program was, the SOS second act reviews signs of depression and suicide while prompting the students to speak about substance abuse and risky behavior, the SOS second act also talks about how they train school staff to be aware of self-injury within the students. Can students who are not self-harming feel like they are being targeted or falsely accused by the school staff? And lastly, would all schools be able to afford the suicide prevention programs? A solution for these issues can be to have more funding for the organization. If the community see’s that this is an organization that is active and is beneficial to the lives of those within the community, there should be a special funding to help keep the organization alive.
OUTCOME:
The SOS program uses two methods in its program: an educational curriculum that raises awareness and a brief screening for depression. The program has been proven to save people‘s lives. The SOS Program was listed on SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices as a program with the most reduction in self-reported suicide by 40-64%.
EFFICIENCY EVALUATION:
The cost of the program is determined by which program schools decide to purchase. This depends on the package that comes with the program. The cost for the complete SOS program for high school and middle school is about $495 because it involves training school staff on how to interact with students battling suicide and depression while also being aware of self-injury signs. If a school focuses on self-injury they can purchase Signs of Self Injury Program. There is also a program that focuses on helping students beyond high school it is known as, Second Act: Preparing for Life Beyond High School and costs about $250. The benefits of the program out weights the costs of the program because statistically, the program is making a difference. Suicide rates in middle school and high school students have decreased by 40-64% nationwide. This implies the program is making a positive difference in the students’ life therefore, this program should continue.
In conclusion, this program has been beneficial to not only students but to the cities, communities, and towns by helping raise awareness and letting people know that they do not have to go through their struggles alone. Screening for mental health has