Youth suicide is a complex topic with many varying components that need to be considered when educating students. It is not just a “mental illness” topic, or a “result of stress” topic. Those are just two of the important risk factors. It is the combination of multiple risk factors and the individual’s resiliency and coping skills which must be addressed when teaching prevention and awareness. 2 The following curriculum is a model of what could be utilized as a minimum of response to educate students. It is not an extensive scope and sequence. It is to be used as a reference to guide professionals to develop a personalized curriculum to meet the needs of their community of learners. LEAs may use as it is presented, or use the provided resources to build content. It is a local decision to be made by professionals who know the students and the learning goals of the curriculum.

(c) Planned instruction aligned with academic Standard in the following areas shall be provided to every student in the middle level program.

• (7) Health, safety and physical education, including instruction in concepts and skills which affect personal, family and community health and safety, nutrition, physical fitness, movement concepts, motor skill development, safety in physical activity settings, and the prevention of alcohol, chemical and tobacco abuse.

Safety and Injury Prevention 10.3. A. Safe/Unsafe Practices B. Emergency Responses/ Injury Management C. Strategies to Avoid/Manage Conflict D. Safe Practices in Physical Activity