If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is always available. Call or text 988, or chat online at: 988lifeline.org

988 Lifeline brinda apoyo gratuito y confidencial para personas que están pasando por momentos difíciles. En cualquier momento puede hablar con alguien llamando a Lifeline al 988. El servicio de chat y texto de Lifeline está disponible las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana. 988lifeline.org/es

Speak Up, Speak Out: Teen Suicide Awareness and Prevention

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2021, Arkansas lost 24 teens to suicide. Since 2000, suicide has been the second leading cause of death for Arkansans 13-19 years of age. Watch the videos on this page to hear the stories of two of these teens, find out how to recognize the warning signs and risk factors, and learn the steps to take to help prevent deaths by suicide.

Arkansas PBS and the Arkansas Department of Education have partnered to provide training resources for Arkansas schools for more than twenty years. These resources and more can be found within our online professional development courses in the ArkansasIDEAS learning management system.

Notice: Professional development credit is not awarded for viewing videos on this page. Credit hours are only available for courses completed within the ArkansasIDEAS LMS. Educators may click here to log in to ArkansasIDEAS or to check eligibility for an account.

Featured Video: Kennedy's Story

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Kennedy Nida was a bright and vivacious sophomore at Lakeside High School in Hot Springs. When Kennedy died by suicide in the spring of 2021, it turned the worlds of her family and friends upside down. Kennedy's mom, Sarah Inman, is the principal at Fountain Lake Middle School in Hot Springs. She describes the journey of using her own grief to bring awareness to teen suicide and to put policies in place in her own school to help students who may be struggling.

Lesson One

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Introduction 
(Segment 1 of 15)
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Hold Me Closer: The Kennedy Nida Story 
(Segment 2 of 15)

Lesson Two

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Knowing the Warning Signs-Part 1 
(Segment 3 of 15)
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Knowing the Warning Signs-Part 2 
(Segment 4 of 15)
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Knowing the Warning Signs-Part 3 
(Segment 5 of 15)

Lesson Three

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Number 34: The Hayden Simpson Story 
(Segment 6 of 15)

Lesson Four

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Suicide: Terminology 
(Segment 7 of 15)
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Suicide: Statistics 
(Segment 8 of 15)

Lesson Five

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Aftermath: A School's Response to Death by Suicide-Part 1 
(Segment 9 of 15)
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Aftermath: A School's Response to Death by Suicide-Part 2 
(Segment 10 of 15)
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Aftermath: A School's Response to Death by Suicide-Part 3 
(Segment 11 of 15)

Lesson Six

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How to Help Those Who Are Hurting-Part 1 
(Segment 12 of 15)
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How to Help Those Who Are Hurting-Part 2 
(Segment 13 of 15)
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How to Help Those Who Are Hurting-Part 3 
(Segment 14 of 15)
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Conclusion 
(Segment 15 of 15)

Additional Resources

AR PBS Ideas Arkansas Department of Education