b'Importance of School-Based Mental Health Supports Access to school-employed mental health resources and access to school-based mental health supports directlyimproves students physical and psychological safety, academic performance, cognitive performance andlearning, and social/emotional development. School-employed mental health professionals (school counselors,school psychologists, school social workers, and in some cases, school nurses) ensure that resources are high quality, effective, and developmentally appropriate to the school context. School-employed mental healthprofessionals are specially trained in the interconnectivity among school law, school system functioning, learning,mental health, and family systems. This training ensures that mental health resources are properly and effectivelyinfused into the learning environment. These professionals can support both instructional leaders and teachers abilities to provide a safe school setting and the optimum conditions for teaching and learning.Having these professionals as integrated members of the school staff empowers principals and administrators tomore efficiently and effectively deploy resources, ensure coordination of resources, evaluate their effectiveness, and adjust supports to meet the dynamic needs of their student populations. Improving access also allows for enhanced collaboration with community providers to meet the more intense or clinical needs of students. 7Each school should provide important suicide prevention information on their website that includes local and national crisis resources, the warning signs of suicide, and who to contact for the school district if a parent or student is concerned about someone being suicidal.Risk Factors and Protective Factors Risk Factors for Suicide Risk factors are characteristics or conditions that increase the chance that a person may try to attempt suicide. Suicide risk tends to be highest when someone has several risk factors at the same time, or has long standing risk factors and experiences a sudden or devastating setback. These factors interact, and the more there are and the more they intensify, the greater the risk.The most frequently cited risk factors for suicide are: Mental health conditions: Major depression (feeling down, withdrawn or agitated in a way that impacts daily life)Bipolar disorder (exteme mood swings)Substance use disorders (alcohol, prescribed and illicit drugs)Anxiety disorders (excessive worry, obsessions or panic attacks)Eating disordersModel School District Policy on Suicide Prevention | Model Language, Commentary, and Resources 17'