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.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
"The application of the Zero Suicide Framework to youth suicide prevention in schools is brilliant! This book should be on every principal's book shelf." -- Guy Diamond "This book is a must read for school personnel as it utilizes an innovative approach of integrating the Zero Suicide framework into all aspects of multi-tiered school systems. This book will help schools implement and develop programming to more effectively educate staff on suicide prevention strategies, identify youth of concern, care for those youth, and coordinate various systems of care to improve outcomes. The goal is zero suicides and this book is integral in providing strategies to go upstream to prevent future youth suicides and create lives worth living." -- Terri Erbacher "Suicide prevention in schools requires a comprehensive approach that can't be relegated to one person or team. The blending of multi-tiered systems of support, something with which schools are already familiar, with Zero Suicide provides the planning, leadership, and training with the preparedness to respond effectively to youth at risk. I especially like the information about re-entry to school after hospitalization, which provides practical guidance on how the school can best support the youth and their family. This book is a must read for all who support youth in schools, from superintendents to teachers to the counseling office, each of whom play an important role in suicide prevention." -- Julie Goldstein Grumet "Stephen Sharp and Perri Rosen have created a crucial and comprehensive resource for school-based suicide prevention. This book is grounded in decades of research and practice, including an evidence-based and trauma-informed lens, has MTSS-alignment, and is rooted in culturally affirming practices rooted in relationships. It brings together recommendations across school, home, and community to address suicide prevention and intervention at the root. Thank you, Mr. Sharp and Dr. Rosen, for sharing your years of expertise and practice in this important book. It's a 'must read' for serving the K-12 youth of today." -- Emily Goodman-Scott, PhD, LPC, NCC, NCSC, ACS "The authors' deep insight and unwavering dedication to student well-being are at the heart of this book's mission-to empower and equip educators with the knowledge, tools, and strategies needed to foster safer, more supportive school environments. By drawing vital connections between historical safety reforms and the pressing need for comprehensive suicide prevention in schools, this framework not only highlights the urgency of the issue, but also provides clear, actionable steps for meaningful change. Through this work, the author paves the way for a future where every student is seen, supported, and given the opportunity to thrive-where no child is lost to suicide." -- Debra Paradowski "Lives Worth Living is a groundbreaking and essential resource for leaders and mental health professionals deeply committed to preventing suicide and fostering a culture of care. Rooted in compassion, lived experience, and systems change, this book offers more than a framework: It offers hope. With clarity and purpose, it challenges schools to treat suicide prevention as a life-saving responsibility and provides a powerful, evidence-informed roadmap to move beyond crisis response toward upstream, sustainable solutions. The Zero Suicide in Schools model has the power to transform school culture, protect lives, and ensure that no student is ever left behind." -- Dr. Rebecca Pianta "Suicide prevention is a must at every level of education, and this book explains how to do it based on MTSS, which most schools already have in place. But the underlying message of the book goes beyond suicide prevention, with the goal of helping students create Lives Worth Living, which is what every educator shows up at work to do every day. The lessons start in kindergarten on day one." -- Kim Watson "Lives Worth Living: Zero Suicide in Schools is a compelling and necessary call to action for school systems facing the ongoing realities of youth suicide and mental health challenges. Grounded in both research and humanity, this book exposes the limitations of current systems and offers a practical, hopeful roadmap for change. With clear strategies to strengthen protective factors, build cross-system collaboration, and prioritize compassionate, data-informed interventions; it empowers every educator, leader, and mental health professional committed to student well-being to take its call to action seriously." -- Dr. Haley Wikoff
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.
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
