September marks National Suicide Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness, share resources, and come together as communities to protect the mental health of our youth. Suicide is a leading public health crisis in the United States. According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, between 2015 and 2020, suicide rates among youth ages 15–24 increased significantly, and in 2020, suicide was the second leading cause of death among children ages 10–14 and the third leading cause of death among youth ages 15–24. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) reports that suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S. overall.
These statistics are not just numbers; they represent children, students, and families forever changed.
A Mother’s Story: Gretchen Ford
For Gretchen Ford, suicide is not an abstract issue; it is heartbreakingly personal. On a Monday in May of 2022, approximately a month before his high school graduation, Gretchen and her husband, Scott, lost their son, Collin, to suicide. That day changed their lives forever.
“Some people think that the grief lessens over the years, but it doesn’t,” Gretchen says. “Your life just eventually grows around it. Mondays are especially hard for both Scott and me. Panic still sets in for him on the drive home, and for me, the ringing of a phone can trigger overwhelming fear. Every day I go to work in the same library where I last saw him. It is extremely hard, but I do it for two reasons: I don’t want any other mother to go through what I’ve gone through, and I don’t want another student to feel the pain Collin felt in those last hours of his life.”
She reminds us that youth mental health is a growing crisis, and resources often fall short. At the time her family sought inpatient care for Collin, no beds were available in the state of Indiana. Even outpatient counseling was difficult to access, and the reliance on medication alone sometimes worsened suicidal thoughts.
Gretchen is now working to start a Suicide Bereavement Support Group and is part of the LOSS team (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors). She emphasizes the ripple effect of suicide: research shows that for every death by suicide, 135 people are impacted. “The waves never stop,” she says. “The best prevention we can give our kids is teaching them kindness, how to treat others, how to take responsibility for their actions, and how to support each other both in person and online.”
newsSuicide Prevention in Rossville Schools
Rossville Schools take student mental health seriously and have invested in both staff training and prevention systems.
Staff Training: Teachers and staff receive suicide prevention training, including Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR), which equips them to recognize warning signs and connect students with help.
Suicide Assessments: Staff are trained to conduct suicide risk assessments. Student Support Specialist Erin Dillingham reports that since the beginning of the last school year, she has responded to 70 suicide-related alerts through Gaggle and has conducted 81 formal suicide risk assessments using Navigate360. Each assessment is an opportunity to intervene, offer care, and connect families with resources.
Technology Supports: Rossville uses Gaggle software, which monitors school-issued technology accounts and internet activity for concerning content such as threats of self-harm. This allows staff to respond quickly when a student may be in crisis.
Support Systems: When students are identified as being at risk, school staff initiate immediate assistance, ensuring that no concern is ignored.
Still, challenges remain. The State of Indiana is phasing out the Human Services Pathway, which has been the primary route for students aspiring to careers in counseling or mental health. At a time when we need more professionals in the field, this loss is deeply concerning. Rossville leaders, including parents like Gretchen, continue to advocate for resources to address the growing needs of students.
Moving Forward with Hope
The statistics are sobering, and the stories are heartbreaking, but they also call us to action. Prevention begins with awareness, early intervention, and kindness. As Gretchen reminds us, “Unless we start with children when they are young, teaching them empathy, responsibility, and kindness, we are only putting a Band-Aid on the problem by middle and high school.”
Rossville Schools remain committed to protecting students, supporting families, and honoring the memory of those we have lost. This National Suicide Prevention Month, let us remember that every life matters, every story matters, and together we can build a future filled with compassion and hope.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, for immediate help.