Steps You Can Take to Reduce Suicide Risk among Students
This guide includes the following sections:
•Understand why suicide prevention is important
•Identify warning signs for those who may be at risk for suicide
•Respond to students who are or may be at risk for suicide
•Consider becoming involved in campus-wide suicide prevention
Understand Why Suicide Prevention Is Important
Know the facts
Suicide touches everyone—all ages and backgrounds, all racial and ethnic groups, in all parts of the country.
- Suicide is the third leading cause of death for youth aged 15-24 in the United States.
- In recent years more young people have died from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, congenital birth defects, and diabetes combined.
- For every young person who dies by suicide, between 100-200 attempt suicide.
- Males are four times as likely to die by suicide as females - although females attempt suicide three times as often as males.
However, there is help and hope when individuals, schools, and communities join forces to address suicide as a preventable public health problem.
Understand your role
As a member of the Cal Poly Pomona faculty or staff, you have an important role to play in suicide prevention. You are in a key position to:
- Observe students’ behavior and act when you suspect that a student may be at risk of self-harm
• Provide needed expertise, support, and information to other faculty, staff, students, and parents
Identify Students Who May Be at Risk for Suicide
Be alert to the problems facing students
Your position gives you an opportunity to become aware of problems facing students that may put them at risk for suicide. Certain risk factors are associated with increased suicide risk but there is no profile that predicts suicidal behavior with certainty. These factors are not signs of suicidal thinking but contribute to the possibility of suicide.
Researchers have identified a large number of risk factors for suicide, with the risk generally greater among individuals with multiple risk factors. The most common ones are:
- Prior suicide attempt(s)
- Substance abuse
- Mood disorders
- Access to lethal means
Other risk factors include:
- Recent death of a family member or friend, especially if by suicide
- Engaging in self-harm
- Problems in school (academic and/or discipline)
- Relationship problems or breakups
- Bullying or other forms of violence
- History of depression, mental illness or substance/alcohol abuse disorders
- Isolation or lack of social support
- Discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender nonconformity
- Family history of suicide or suicide in community
- Family problems or abuse, current or in the past
- Legal issues
- Serious illness or injury
- Other stressful events
Watch for signs of immediate risk for suicide
Some behaviors may indicate a person is at immediate risk for suicide. These three behaviors should prompt immediate action:
- Talking about wanting to die or to kill oneself
- Looking for a way to kill oneself, such as searching online or obtaining a gun
- Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live
If a student exhibits any of these signs, seek help as soon as possible by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) or by referring to the next section “Take action if you encounter a student who is at immediate risk”.
The following signs also suggest someone is at risk for suicide, with a greater risk if a behavior is new, has increased,or if it seems related to a painful event, loss, or change.
- Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
- Talking about being a burden to others
- Increasing use of alcohol or drugs
- Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly
- Sleeping too little or too much
- Withdrawing or isolating themselves
- Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
- Displaying extreme mood swings
For a wallet-sized card with suicide warning signs and the toll-free number of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, visit the Wellness Center located in Bldg. 46 or order your own at
Respond to students who are or may be at risk for suicide
Take action if you encounter a student who is at immediate risk
If you believe a student is in crisis or immediate risk of suicide, take action right away:
- If the student presents an immediate danger to themselves or others call Campus Police at 1 (909) 869-3070, or dial 911 if you are off campus.
- Stay with the student. Do not leave an individual in crisis alone until help has been contacted and agrees to provide appropriate supervision. If you can, remove any potential means, such as pills,as long as this does not put yourself in danger. as long as this does not put yourself in danger.
as long as this does not put yourself in danger. - If you are on campus and the student does not present an immediate danger to themselves or others, you can escort the student to Counseling Services (Bldg. 66, Rm. 116) or contact them at 1 (909) 869-3220. They are open Monday-Friday 8am to 5pm, with an after-hours crisis line. To reach this after-hours crisis line, dial 1 (909) 869-3220 and press 2 to speak with a Crisis Counselor. Crisis counselors are available during weekends, holidays, and quarter breaks.
- You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1 (800) 273-8255 (TALK) or offer this as a resource to the student. This lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week.
- For mental health services off-campus, refer students to Tri-City Mental Health Services, which serves the Pomona, La Verne and Claremont areas. They are located at 2008 N. Garey Avenue, Pomona CA, 91767. Walk-ins are welcome Monday through Wednesday from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. They can be reached at 1 (909) 623-6131.
Reach out to a student who may be at risk
The steps above are steps to take if a student shows immediate warning signs. If a student does not display signs of immediate risk for suicide but you are concerned about the student, you can take the following steps.
Be prepared to have a conversation about suicide and know the appropriate resources to refer a student to for help (see Resources section or see above section).
•Talk to your student directly about suicide in order to assess for risk of suicide or other forms of self-injury. Asking “Are you thinking about suicide?” will not put the idea into their head. Knowing the risk factors and warning signs of suicide will help you determine an immediate threat.
•Listen without judgment and show you care. Allow for the discussion of experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Be prepared for expression of intense feelings. Try to understand without taking a position about whether or not such behavior is justified.
•Remain calm. Becoming too excited or distressed will communicate that you are not able to talk about suicide.
•Ask if there is a plan. If the student mentions a plan, report this plan when contacting Campus Police or other resources. As long as it does not put you or others in danger, attempt to remove the means.
•Help the student identify and connect to professionals. Provide contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1 (800) 273-8255 (TALK), Counseling Services 1 (909) 869-3220, Tri City Mental Health Services 1 (909) 623-6131 or other professionals who can help.
If you are not prepared to have a conversation with the student about the concerning behavior you notice or suicide, contact Judicial Affairs at 1 (909) 869-6990, Counseling Services at 1 (909) 869-3220orthe National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1 (800) 273-8255 (TALK) or at Cal Poly Pomona’s Judicial Affairs can assist students, faculty, and staff with concerns about a student’s concerning behavior;for more information, visit
Consider becoming involved in campus-wide suicide prevention
Identifying students at risk is a crucial part of a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention. As a member of the Cal Poly Pomona community, you can also be involved in other aspects of suicide prevention.
The following list outlines other areas you can show your support:
- Campus-wide programs that promote connectedness and emotional well-being
- Postvention programs in the community, such as memorial walks
- Faculty and staff education and training programs
- Student programs, such as Active Minds. Active Minds is a national student organization that aims to change the conversation about mental health through education and stigma reduction efforts. Active Minds at Cal Poly Pomona hosts workshops open to the campus community and can also collaborate with organizations on campus for specialized presentations at club meetings or in the classroom. Active Minds can be contacted at .
- Incorporating information into curricula. For example, using mental health screenings provided by Student Health and Counseling Services. Contact the Wellness Center at or information on workshops and programs offered regarding mental health services and suicide/depression awareness.
- Skill-building opportunities for students at risk. The Wellness Center offers workshops on Stress Management and other healthy habits of successful students. Counseling Services offers workshops on communication skills, cultural diversity, personal growth, and relationship building. The student organization Active Minds offers workshops on how to encourage help-seeking behavior among peers and how to talk about mental health challenges.
Resources
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Know the Signs Campaign
Suicide Prevention Resource Center
The Trevor Project
Mental Health.gov
Each Mind Matters
The information outlined in this document is adapted and redistributed with the permission of the Suicide Prevention Resource Center,
For more information about Cal Poly Pomona’s suicide prevention efforts contact Kristen Mar at the Wellness Center, .
Cal Poly Pomona’s suicide prevention efforts are supported by a grant from the California Mental Health Services Authority. The California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) is an organization of county governments working to improve mental health outcomes for individuals, families and communities. Prevention and Early Intervention programs implemented by CalMHSA are funded through the voter-approved Mental Health Services Act (Prop 63). Prop 63 provides the funding and framework needed to expand mental health services to previously underserved populations and all of California’s diverse communities.
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