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Board members press for clearer suicide-prevention outreach in policy update
Summary
Board members raised concerns that language changes to a suicide-prevention policy could reduce public awareness of services; staff agreed to include clearer access points such as HealthHub links and QR codes.
Members of the Detroit Public Schools Community District policy committee questioned a recommended edit to the district’s suicide-prevention policy that removed the word “awareness” from the title and asked staff to ensure students and families can easily find services.
One board member said she was concerned the change “struck out awareness in the title,” and urged the committee to keep an emphasis on ensuring the public knows how to access services. She pressed staff for specifics on how the district will make students and parents aware of crisis resources, suggested signage and QR codes in offices and hallways, and recommended including information at parent engagement sessions.
The board member said she wants students to be able to “get immediate action” if they need to talk to someone now. She suggested brochures and QR codes linking to the district’s HealthHub as part of the policy’s implementation.
District Staff Member said the district currently works with the HealthHub and maintains documentation processes for referrals, and that staff would incorporate clearer references and access pathways into the policy implementation. The staff member confirmed the district has previously provided brochures and that staff will seek to broaden access communications.
The committee tied this policy item to related agenda items and approved the packet. Board members asked staff to provide a written response to outstanding wording questions by email and to ensure the final policy and supporting materials make access to mental-health services readily visible to students and families.
No statutory changes were proposed in the committee record; the discussion and requested follow-up focused on outreach, signage, and operational implementation.
