Suicide Prevention Tool Rolls Out In Tri-Valley Schools

TRI-VALLEY, CA — California students in grades 7-12, and those attending college in the state, will be reminded that they can talk to someone if they're having suicidal thoughts.

Under a new state law that went into effect July 1, public, charter and private schools that teach grades 7 to 12 and issue student identification cards are required to have printed on either side of the ID cards the telephone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, as well as the Crisis Text Line and a local suicide prevention hotline telephone number.

Public and private colleges in the state must also print the same information on student IDs, along with the campus police or security telephone number, or the local nonemergency telephone number.

In the Pleasanton Unified School District, the student ID card rollout began two years ago, prior to the new law being introduced, according to Patrick Gannon, spokesperson for the district.

"We've gotten incredibly positive responses from families regarding having the information," Gannon said. "These are critical resources that are important for our students as stress and anxiety is so much more common with students. Our goal has been to let students know that they are not alone, that they matter and are loved, and that there are resources available to them to get help. "

In the Dublin Unified School District, the ID card rollout has been smooth, with no concerns from students or parents, according to DUSD spokesman Chip Dehnert.

"Student wellness is a top priority in the Dublin Unified School District," Dehnert said. "Our school sites have the tools, training, and human resources needed to help students navigate the challenges they face during their K-12 years. Hopefully, their time in Dublin will make them better prepared to address the pressures of life after high school as well."

“No campus is immune to mental health issues,” according to Alison Malmon, founder and executive director of Active Minds, a nonprofit organization that works to raise awareness about young adult mental health advocacy and suicide prevention. “Any student who has received a late-night, concerning text from a friend knows we can’t predict when we might need to provide or seek help."

Malmon is too familiar with suicide. Her only sibling — older brother Brian — attended Columbia University and died by suicide as Alison was wrapping up her freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania. As a result of his death, she formed Active Minds in 2003 as a 21-year-old. In January, the organization announced it had partnered with the Crisis Text Line and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to support high schools, colleges and universities across the nation in their efforts to add mental health and suicide prevention crisis numbers to student ID cards.

"Each student ID card should have crisis information printed on the back so if someone needs help, they only have to look as far as their pocket,” Malmon said.

Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) is inline with Malmon. He introduced the California student ID/suicide prevention bill (SB 972) that is now law. The bill is bittersweet for him.

"After my brother’s suicide, I was saddened to learn that so many friends, neighbors and strangers had family members who struggled with suicide," Portantino said after he introduced SB 972 in early 2018. "I don’t want to read about another young person who takes his or her own life. ... If SB 972 saves only one life, it is well worth our efforts.”