Suicide Prevention

Suicide Prevention In Schools

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The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) is committed to the health and safety of every student. Suicide is preventable, and through education, awareness, and action, we can save lives. We work in partnership with schools, families, and communities to ensure that every child has access to the help they need.

Arizona Project Bright Futures leads and funds the Arizona Department of Education’s suicide prevention efforts. In partnership, Project Bright Futures focuses on creating safe, supportive school environments across Arizona. These include training educators and staff in suicide alertness and intervention, implementing student programs that build resilience and peer support, developing policies that promote suicide prevention and early intervention, and providing tools and resources tailored to meet the needs of Arizona’s diverse school communities.

Arizona Suicide Prevention Training for School Mental Health Professionals

School mental health professionals play a critical role in keeping students safe, often being the first to identify when a student is at risk. Yet, their role is too often overlooked in safety planning. To address this need, The Jed Foundation (JED) and the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) have partnered to create a two-hour, eight-module online training that equips school counselors, social workers, psychologists, nurses, and other school personnel with the tools to:

Recognize the mental health continuum and common mental health challenges Arizona students face.
Engage in supportive conversations with students that recognize and respect cultural backgrounds across Arizona communities, ensuring all feel valued.
Describe how schools and communities can work together as a student support team to improve student mental health, and define your role on the team.
Identify signs of self-injury and crisis, including signs of suicidal thoughts or intense emotional distress.
Understand the role of suicide risk screening in a comprehensive prevention approach and learn how to administer screening tools.
Take action when a student is in crisis by engaging the support team, ensuring immediate safety, and documenting and following school protocols (or helping to establish protocols, when needed).

This 2-hour scenario-based course is an approved training of the Mitch Warnock Act and provides practical, real-world applications, helping school professionals build confidence in supporting students and strengthening school safety.

Important Information Before You Begin

120-Day Access: Once you register, you will have 120 days to complete the course. Please plan accordingly to ensure you meet this deadline.
Registration: Use your school email address to register. Click on the registration link in the one-pager.
Technical Support: All technical support requests must be submitted through the JED Support Request form.

One-Pager Access the Course

Understanding Arizona's Suicide Prevention Laws

Jakes Law	Jake’s Law ensures that students have access to behavioral health services by requiring schools to develop and publicly post referral policies, collaborate with community providers to offer services on campus or via telehealth, and actively promote awareness of available mental health resources.
Mitch Warnock Act	The Mitch Warnock Act requires all school personnel working with students in grades 6 through 12 to complete suicide prevention training at least once every three years. Enacted to strengthen early intervention efforts, the law ensures that educators, counselors, and staff are equipped to recognize warning signs of suicidal behavior, respond appropriately, and refer students to professional help. Training must be evidence-based and approved by the state, and may be delivered through in-service or professional development programs
For more information about the Mitch Warnock Act and Jake’s Law, refer to AHCCCS’s Suicide Prevention Training for Schools webpage

ADE offers five of these trainings to schools across the state.

Youth Mental Health First Aid	An evidence-based training program that teaches adults how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges in adolescents. Participants learn how to approach youth in crisis, provide initial support, and connect them with appropriate professional help. The training is designed for teachers, school staff, parents, and community members who regularly interact with young people.
safeTALK	A half-day suicide alertness training that prepares participants to recognize individuals with thoughts of suicide and connect them to life-saving resources. Designed for anyone aged 15 and older, safeTALK uses a simple yet effective model to teach how to identify warning signs, engage in supportive dialogue, and refer at-risk individuals to trained professionals.
ASIST	A two-day, intensive workshop designed to help participants develop the skills to intervene and support individuals at risk of suicide. Through interactive learning, role-play, and practice, ASIST teaches how to recognize warning signs, build a connection, and create a safety plan. It’s widely used by educators, counselors, and community members to provide life-saving support in moments of crisis.
QPR	A suicide prevention training that teaches individuals how to recognize the warning signs of suicide, ask direct questions, offer hope, and refer someone to appropriate help. The training is designed to be quick, practical, and effective to empower educators, parents, and community members to act as gatekeepers who can save lives through early intervention.
Suicide Prevention Training for School Mental Health Professionals	The Jed Foundation (JED) and the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) have developed a two-hour, eight-module online training designed to support school counselors, social workers, psychologists, nurses, and other school staff. This training helps participants recognize common mental health challenges among Arizona students, engage in culturally respectful conversations, and understand their role in a collaborative support system. It also covers identifying signs of self-injury or crisis, using suicide risk screening tools, and taking appropriate action during a student crisis while following school protocols.
For more information, refer to AHCCCS’s Suicide Prevention Training for Schools webpage. Click here for all approved suicide prevention trainings!

It is the responsibility of the school district or charter to maintain accurate records of trained personnel. School guidance counselors, teachers, principals, and other school personnel are responsible for maintaining proper documentation of their certification of completion of suicide prevention and awareness training. Like a fingerprint clearance card, these educators should maintain a personal copy of their certification as well as provide their district with a copy.
We recommend LEAs view the Suicide Prevention Guidance for School Leaders Webinar here: Suicide Prevention Guidance for School Leaders.

safeTALK and ASIST

The Arizona Department of Education offers yearly training opportunities for safeTALK and ASIST. Please see below for training dates and to register. All trainings are located at the Arizona Department of Education, unless otherwise noted.

safeTALK

February 19th, 2026 - 12:30 pm - 4:30 pm

April 14th, 2026 - 12:30 pm - 4:30 pm

June 9th, 2026 - 12:30 pm - 4:30 pm

ASIST

March 25th - March 26th, 2026 - 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

April 30th, 2026 - May 1st, 2026 - 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

July 20th - July 21st, 2026 - 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Registration

To register for any of the safeTALK or ASIST training dates, click here. Additionally, LEAs may request district trainings based on ADE availability.

Scheduled Training Registration Form: safeTALK and ASIST

Request a safeTALK or ASIST training for your district!

Question, Persuade, Refer, and Youth Mental Health First Aid

QPR and Youth Mental Health First Aid are coordinated on a request basis. To request virtual or in-person sessions, please fill out the training request form..Once this form is completed, a representative from ADE will reach out for further coordination and information.

Training Request Form: QPR and YMHFA

The Arizona Department of Education has a number of supports for trained trainers.

Each year, ADE hosts a training of trainers for safeTALK, ASIST, and QPR. If you are interested in learning more, email [email protected].
ADE provides training materials for Livingworks safeTALK and ASIST at no cost, along with additional supports. View the flyer for all information.

View All Trainer Supports Here!