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District previews revised suicide-prevention lessons, explains risk-assessment steps and opt-out plan
Summary
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified officials told the school board they revamped middle- and high-school suicide-prevention lessons, are standardizing a district risk-assessment packet, and will expand parent education and staff training; reported risk-assessment counts are lower this year than last, and follow-up protocols vary by risk level.
The Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District on Oct. 8 presented revised suicide-prevention lessons for grades 6–12 and outlined how the district identifies and follows up on students flagged during those lessons. Dr. Wylie and counselor Eliza Santa Rosa described updated, age-appropriate slide decks developed by a task force of SAGE therapists, school psychologists and counselors, and said the district will publish the presentations and a list of local resources online.
Board members heard that the district now uses a standardized suicide-risk assessment packet for mental-health professionals, and that the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale will be the core screening tool for follow-up. Presenters said risk assessments are performed by two staff members, and parents are notified promptly — immediately if a student is high-risk or requires transport to a hospital and in other cases as appropriate.
Officials provided a snapshot of recent data: at the comparable point last year the district recorded 44 risk assessments; this year it has recorded 14 through the October reporting window. Dr. Wylie cautioned that yearly counts vary and that the reason for a lower number this year is not known. Board members pressed for clarity about the pathways that can trigger an assessment (exit tickets, student report, online posts or staff concerns), what the assessment entails, and how the district monitors students after a low-risk determination.
Santa Rosa said the exit ticket at the end of presentations does not automatically result in a full risk assessment; counselors use the ticket in combination with observations or disclosures. If two staff members determine a student is low risk, the response might be counseling and regular check-ins; higher-risk students are monitored more closely and parents are contacted and involved in next steps. The district also plans parent education events and additional professional development, and it will refine the risk-assessment packet and protocols based on LACOE guidance and local feedback.
Board members recommended stronger, districtwide guardrails for follow-up and more consistent reporting on outcomes so the board and community can monitor implementation. The board did not take action on this item; staff said they will continue to gather feedback and return with refined protocols and data updates.
