ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) — Teachers in Indiana are learning to spot the warning signs that a student might be considering killing themselves.
The Herald Bulletin reports that nearly 30 educators and staff from Anderson Community Schools attended a suicide prevention training session last month.
Warning signs include changes in demeanor, isolation, use of drugs and alcohol, and giving away prized possessions.
A 2017 Indiana law mandates that Indiana teachers for grades five through 12 receive the suicide prevention training every three years.
Educators in the Anderson, Shenandoah and South Madison districts have been grappling with how to help students cope with the suicides or attempted suicides of classmates.
Julie Russell is a social worker at Anderson Intermediate. She says the teacher’s role is to refer students to get help, not assess their condition.