SHS GUIDANCE RESOURCE PAGE

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or suicidal ideation or have in past, know that help is always available:

  • The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255.
  • The Spanish-language National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-888-628-9454
  • For the Mental Health Crisis Text Line: Text “PA” to 741-741
  • Support and Referral Helpline: 1-855-284-2494. For TTY, dial 724-631-5600.
  • Disaster Distress Helpline:  1-800-985-5990
  • Get Help Now Hotline (substance abuse):  800-622-4357
  • National Domestic Violence Helpline:  1-800-799-7233
  • Lawrence County Mental Health Crisis Line:  724-652-9000
  • Lawrence County Drug and Alcohol Commission:  724-658-5580
  • Lawrence County Crisis Shelter (ARISE):  724-652-9036

Many of these free resources are available 24/7.

If you are concerned about someone else’s well-being, these resources may help you to be of life-saving assistance.


Bullying Resources for Educators and Parents

Bullying is formally defined as unwanted aggressive behavior by another youth or group of youths (not siblings or dating partners), involving a perceived or observed balance of power External link . These behaviors are continuous and can inflict harm on communities, individuals, families and schools. Up to 90 percent of students report they have experienced bullying External link  by the time they reach eighth grade. Our comprehensive list of resources should serve as a guide for educators and parents to help put a stop to bullying in our schools and communities.

Bullying Prevention Tips and Guidance

Once bullying starts, it is hard to get it to stop. The role of an educator and a parent is to teach empathy, teach and train staff and improve how bullying is handled by adults. Here are several resources on bullying prevention:

  • Stop Bullying External link  – The official anti-bullying site of the U.S. Government, StopBullying.gov offers resources for teachers and parents to help prevent and stop bullying.
  • National Runaway Safeline External link  – The National Runaway Safeline has a wealth of anti-bullying resources, including a downloadable template that can be used to notify school administrators about bullying.
  • The Bully Project External link  – The Bully Project is a film and activism site with tools for educators, parents, students, advocates and those interested in helping those with special needs.
  • Teaching Tolerance External link  – A project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Teaching Tolerance has a resource list and a film kit for the film Bullied: A Student, A School and a Case That Made History.
  • Edutopia External link  – Edutopia has a recently updated resource list for bullying prevention including ideas for cultivating empathy, diversity and inclusion and suicide prevention.
  • Stomp Out Bullying External link  – Stomp Out Bullying has created a parent resource for parents who learn that their child is being bullied complete with tip sheets, cell phone guides and help understanding bullying.
  • GLSEN – GLSEN provides resources and ideas for campaigns to help end bullying in schools by using social awareness and events like National Bullying Prevention month to spread awareness.
  • Bully Bust External link  – BullyBust provides resources to help make the school climate better for everyone, including personal stories, videos, information on bullying and cyberbullying and more.
  • SafeKids.com External link  – SafeKids.com has a mission for safer digital citizenship, focusing their anti-bullying efforts on cyberbullying prevention and awareness, and how to increase online empathy.
  • Committee for Children External link  – The Committee for Children provides video resources for educators and families to promote the safety, well-being and success of children in life and in school.

Helping Kids Deal with Bullies

  • KidsHealth External link  – KidsHealth provides a great resource for parents to show their kids on how to deal with, avoid and handle bullies, showing them what happens to bullies if they stand tall.
  • Psychology Today External link – Experts offer Psychology Today great advice to pass along to kids such as Stay Connected, Have Confidence, Set Limits and Act Quickly in order to shut down a bully.
  • Mayo Clinic External link  – The Mayo Clinic offers advice to parents on how to help their kids handle a bully, including how parents can spot the warning signs and tips for kids to respond to bullies.
  • Parents.com External link  – Parents Magazine offers suggestions on how parents can ‘bully-proof’ their children by encouraging positive behavior, coaching them to get help and when to involve the school.
  • KidScape External link  – Kidscape offers help with bullying for young people, including information on dealing with bullying, cyberbullying, friends and ‘frenemies’ and using assertiveness.

Warning Signs of Bullying for Parents and Educators

Not every child will report being bullied. In fact, by age 14 less than 30 percent of boys and 40 percent of girls will talk to anyone about bullying External link . As educators and parents, you can spot the signs of bullying in your children and students without them having to disclose anything to you. Here are some resources on what to look for:

  • Warning Signs of Bullying External link  – StopBullying offers a resource on the warning signs your child is being bullied, along with some signs they might be the one bullying others, keeping in mind there are not always signs.
  • Delete Cyberbullying External link  – Delete Cyberbullying is a Stop Online Harassment Project dedicated to taking a stand against cyberbullies. This resource for parents shows the signs they can look for if their child is being bullied online.
  • How to Deal with Bullying External link  – A big challenge for parents is learning how to help their child deal with bullying. Focus on the Family has an entire series dedicated to Bullies – dealing with them, how we got them, and more.
  • Handling Bullying Issues External link  – The Center for Parenting Education provides resources for parents on cyberbullying and what they can do about it, including teaching safety and helping children manage cyberbullying.
  • Action Against Bullying External link  – The American Psychological Association has created a resource center for parents, teachers and kids so they have the tools to take action to prevent bullying before it starts.
  • Cyberbullying External link  – The National Cyber Security Alliance presents StaySafeOnline, a cyberbullying resource with the principles of Stop, Think and Connect to protect kids and families alike online.
  • Bullying in the ER External link  – Academic article on the Assessment and Management of Bullied Children in the Emergency Department causing an increase in psychiatric visits to the emergency department.
  • FAQ on Bullying Prevention External link  – Additional information from the American Federation of Teachers on bullying prevention, resources on school climate, special populations and federal and state activity..

Suicide and Self Harm Prevention

Bullying can lead to depression and anxiety in youth, physical injuries and social problems. Sometimes the effects of bullying are extremely serious to the mental health of the victim. Here are some at-risk behaviors to look out for:

  • Data on Suicide Prevention External link  – The Children’s Safety Network has a series of videos that can be used by parents or educators or in a staff meeting to help spread information on strategies for suicide prevention.in Europe.
  • Self-Harm Signs External link  – NSPCC talks parents and educators through the signs of self-harm, why children hurt themselves and what you can do about it, including getting help and breaking the cycle.
  • Bark App External link  – Bark provides a parent guide, an educator guide and a guide for kids to explain warning signs, how to handle the situation if a friend may be talking about suicide, and clues to look out for.
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