Signs of Suicide (SOS)

Signs of Suicide (SOS) is a nationally recognized youth suicide prevention program, created by MindWise Innovations and delivered by Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Center for Suicide Prevention and Research, that teaches students and staff how to be life savers in their community. Completed in schools, SOS is proven to reduce and prevent suicide attempts and increase help-seeking behaviors. Staff will gain confidence and skills to help support students in need.

Engaging and Empowering Everyone

Staff and students learn to identify warning signs of suicide, how to respond in supportive ways and where to seek help. Students also receive a screener for depression and suicide. If concerns are identified, parents are notified and options for care are provided.

Evidence-based Training

SOS is proven to save lives and reduce rates of youth suicide attempts. Outcomes of SOS have been rigorously evaluated through multiple studies making it the most research-backed program on the Ohio HB 123 list.

Licensed Support Team

We partner with schools to provide licensed mental health experts to support the SOS program. From planning to implementation, they are present every step and provide ongoing consultation for years to come

Built-in Financial Support

We are committed to removing barriers to effective suicide prevention. Our SOS school partners pay nothing for training and consultation, and we provide the SOS curriculum free for the first three years with generous discounts for sustainment in the following years.

How SOS Works

Each school partnering with Nationwide Children’s is paired with a licensed mental health expert who will help schools plan for and deliver the SOS curriculum. SOS targets both staff and student development to promote a healthy school culture around suicide prevention. SOS complements other quality prevention programs and can be rolled out alongside them to create an ecosystem of support and education for everyone.

Staff Training

To effectively support students, trusted adults must be equipped and empowered to take life-saving action. SOS provides education for adults to support students, both during and after the program. Multiple studies show that staff who complete the SOS program have increased confidence in supporting students with concerns of suicide.

  • All-Staff Training: Prevention is everyone’s responsibility. All school staff learn the warning signs of suicide and how to manage a student concern if identified.
  • SOS Training: To prepare for SOS, school staff and partners are trained to implement the SOS curriculum and follow up to support students.
  • Parent Education: Through videos and handouts, our SOS programming provides educational resources for parents and caregivers to support their children.

Student Training

Implemented during two class periods, SOS uses messages of hope and resilience to teach students how to identify, and safely respond, to concerns of suicide in themselves and peers. They learn how to use the ACT message below to navigate high-risk situations. Students who complete SOS show a 64% decrease in risk for suicide attempt.

  • Acknowledge: Suicide is a serious issue that can affect anyone. Normalizing it and knowing there is hope is the first step.
  • Care: Compassion for self and others allows for understanding and moving forward together.
  • Tell: Learning to identify and reach out to trusted adults for support with challenges for themselves and peers.