Grants will help suicide prevention

Idaho schools are getting a boost in their efforts to combat teen suicide and provide emotional support for students.

"I don't think we're alone in having issues with suicidal thoughts or behaviors," said Aiden Rohwer-Nutter, a school counselor at Kootenai Junior-Senior High School in Harrison. "It's definitely affecting our students."

The Idaho State Department of Education on Tuesday announced that 17 middle and high schools across the state will receive $2,400 per school through Sources of Strength grants to work with adult advisers to decrease risk factors and build positive influences.

These funds will be used for peer-to-peer programs where students will connect with other students. Each school will design its Sources of Strength programming according to the needs of its student population.

Over the holiday weekend, at least two more local students took their lives. The Press learned of a seventh grade girl and a high school boy who completed suicide.

Kootenai, Timberlake Junior High School, Lakeland Junior High and Mountain View Alternative High School are the local schools awarded the Sources of Strength grants.

Rohwer-Nutter said these funds will be helpful for Kootenai because it is in a rural area and not all of its students have access to counselors or therapy outside school. She said having the students build strengths and support systems within their peer groups will be a huge benefit.

"Our plan is to have it be as student-driven as possible," Rohwer-Nutter said. "We're going to select our student mentors and have them trained in the fall and we're going to let them come up with ideas and see what they think is best."

Sources of Strength is a youth suicide prevention project that uses the power of peer social networks to work toward healthy norms and cultures while preventing suicide, bullying and substance abuse. It is a part of the Idaho Lives Project, a joint program of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and the State Department of Education. It is funded by the state of Idaho.

"Given the devastating effect suicide has on our school communities, it is vitally important that students have trusted, caring adults and peers in their lives," Matt McCarter, student engagement director for the State Department of Education and project administrator for the Idaho Lives Project, stated in Tuesday's press release.

"Sources of Strength cultivates supportive relationships and builds up protective factors like hope, persistence and emotional regulation," he said. "We are thrilled to have these schools on board."

Becky Meyer, superintendent of Lakeland Joint School District, said support from Sources of Strength falls right in line with the work of the Life Awareness Community Coalition, a nonprofit Lakeland has partnered with to bring attention to this issue. It is especially timely considering that the community has recently experienced several suicide-related deaths, she said.

"The Lakeland School District, on behalf of our three schools that received the (Sources of Strength) grants, is especially grateful for the opportunity to further our work with Life Awareness as a community coalition that is supporting all students and staff in the schools," she said. "It ripples out into the community … By supporting the schools, we’re supporting our community because our community is made up of our schools."

Meyer said students will be nominated by their peers to work with advisers and serve as mentors, much like the Natural Helpers program used by some schools to build trust and relationships among students.

"A lot of it just depends on what the school feels is right for the climate and culture of that school," she said. "The student voice is so important in creating what the program’s going to look like."

The Life Awareness Community Coalition is hosting a 25K run/relay event Saturday starting with the race at 7 a.m. at Timberlake High School, 5303 Highway 54, Spirit Lake. The community awareness party begins at 10 a.m. at Lakeland High School, 15601 Highway 41, Rathdrum, with a kids fun run at noon. To register, visit https://web.lakeland272.org/.

Info: www.idaholives.org

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255