Stephen Sharp is a school counselor and best-selling author. He has worked to provide students with the knowledge and skills to be healthy and successful in the 21st century. Stephen has served on the governing boards of both his local, state and national school counseling organizations. Stephen completed his M.Ed at Millersville University of Pennsylvania, and BA from Lycoming College. Steve is a best-selling author, and he is a co-founder of the Leadership Summit, a community-based social justice network to provide students the language and tools to understand and combat the many forms of oppression. Stephen is a Nationally Certified School Suicide Prevention Specialist, and worked with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to pilot an electronic behavioral health screening for schools. He works tirelessly across nationally to provide education and training on mental health, substance abuse, and inequality. Stephen frequently presents and writes on school counseling practice, leadership, technology, emerging career skills, mental health and race in education. Stephen was named the 2017 Pennsylvania Middle School Counselor of the Year. Dr. Perri Rosen is a nationally certified school psychologist, licensed psychologist, and certified special educator. She received her M.S.Ed. in Human Development from the University of Pennsylvania and her Ph.D. in School Psychology from Temple University. With over 10 years of experience in mental health and suicide prevention, and over 20 years of experience in education, Dr. Rosen has worked at both state and local levels to support students, educators, and school systems. She has helped lead multiple federally funded grants and initiatives focused on youth mental health and suicide prevention in schools, other youth-serving systems, and state government. Dr. Rosen is passionate about supporting schools to meet the mental health needs of all students through multi-tiered and comprehensive approaches. She has helped develop and provide training, technical assistance, and guidance to schools on suicide prevention policies and procedures, crisis response and postvention, and cross-systems collaboration. Dr. Rosen has co-authored peer-reviewed research articles on various topics, including universal mental health screening, suicide prevention training for educators, and comprehensive school-based suicide prevention.
Protect lives by building safer, stronger school communities Suicide among our youth, especially the most vulnerable ones, is a growing yet preventable crisis. We can and must create a meaningful, systemic change by creating school environments where every student feels safe, seen, and supported. Lives Worth Living offers a comprehensive, actionable framework that empowers school leaders, counselors, psychologists, and others to address this critical issue head-on. Drawing from the Zero Suicide framework as well as decades of research and practice, the authors, experts in school counseling, school psychology, and mental health, integrate a proactive and comprehensive suicide prevention approach with multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) to help schools move upstream in their prevention efforts. Inside you will find: Seven foundational components of the Zero Suicide framework adapted for schools-lead, educate, identify, engage, care, connect, improve-to elevate your prevention strategies Proactive approaches that reduce risk while enhancing protective factors for all students Real-world examples and voices from the field, centering on lived experiences of students, to inspire practical, compassionate implementation Reflection questions and planning tools that guide school leaders and teams in creating sustainable, data-driven change This hands-on guide blends leadership, education, engagement, and care into a unified approach that strengthens not only suicide prevention but also the entire school system. By taking action, educators can build safer school climates and empower students to lead lives worth living.
FOREWORD ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABOUT THE AUTHORS Introduction Zero Suicide Lives Worth Living Zero Suicide in Schools Framework Chapter 1: Lead Leading Suicide Prevention in Schools Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Creating Safe and Supportive Environments in Schools Teaming Suicide-Center Lived and Living Exerience Community Partnerships Using Data School Policies and Procedures Chapter 2: Educate Therapeutic Relationships Suicide Concepts and Facts Legal and Regulatory Documentation Follow-Up and Transition Matters Cultural and Local Factors Specific Issues to Location and Setting Student Learning Social and Emotional Learning Selecting a Curriculum Suicide Prevention Education Other Topic Areas Tiered Education Evidence-Based Curriculum Chapter 3: Identify Identifying Suicide Risk Screening in Schools Universal and Targeted Screenings Implementing Suicide Risk Screenings Selecting a Tool Evidence-Based Screening Tools Policy and Procedure Social Suicide Risk Detection Suicide Risk Assessment Suicide Risk Assessment Settings Interview Approaches Formulation Schools Identify Chapter 4: Engage Pathways to Care Resource Mapping Teaming School-Based Mental Health Professionals Tiered Models of School-Based Mental Health Support Teaming With Youth Internal Mapping External Mapping Evidence-Based Resources Adaptation Suicide Care Management Coordination and Collaboration Chapter 5: Care A Comprehensive Upstream System Suicide Prevention Mtss Zero Suicide in Schools-Systems of Care Framework Systems of Care System of Care: Tier 1 System of Care: Tier 2 System of Care: Tier 3 Chapter 6: Connect Bridging the Gaps in Care Components of Effective Care Transitions Connect: Best Practices The Rationale for Reentry Protocols Key Considerations for School Reentry After a Crisis The Reentry Process Chapter 7: Improve Getting Data Keeping Data Using Data Sharing Data Conclusion The Value of Zero Suicide Getting Started Designed for Systemic Change APPENDICES APPENDIX A Background and Instructions General Guide to Rating Lead Educate Identify Engage Care Connect Improve APPENDIX B APPENDIX C APPENDIX D APPENDIX E Executive Summary Key Findings On Trends And 2-Year Changes Key Findings On Disparities Key Findings On New And Emerging Issues Actions To Improve Adolescent Health And Well-Being REFERENCES Index