In each of our PEP cohorts, we are usually lucky enough to have one Pitt County Schools employee complete the program. This past year, we were thrilled to have Ridgewood Elementary School counselor Olivia Salter as a PEP participant. As a part of the program, each PEP participant is asked to complete a project that will benefit a Pitt County School. To complete this project, Mrs. Salter teamed up with two Ridgewood parents, Erin Perkins and Elise Ironmonger to create One Connection, a program that will pilot in three Pitt County Schools and focuses on relationship building as a means of suicide prevention. We had a chance to talk with Mrs. Salter, Erin, and Elise to learn more about One Connection.
PPS-PC: You participated in the Parent Engagement Program with PPS-PC last year. As your parent leadership project, you and two other parents created One Connection, a project with suicide prevention in mind. What is One Connection?
Mrs. Salter: One Connection is a program that is currently being piloted in a handful of schools in Pitt County, which encourages staff members to pair themselves with students to establish a trusting relationship, helping to build connections for our students.
PPS-PC: How do you think relationships serve as a prevention strategy for suicide?
Mrs. Salter: In 2011, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) adopted promoting connectedness as its strategic direction for preventing suicidal behavior. Positive and supportive social relationships and community connections can help buffer the effects of risk factors in people’s lives. Suicide is the second leading casue of death for people ages 10-34 years old. People thrive on relationships and connections to others, regardless of their age. As educators it is our responsibility to help students to feel safe and give students opportunities to develop trusting and reliable connections with others.
PPS-PC: There are several campaigns that seek to prevent suicide across the country that encourage people to “just ask” the question. What question should people ask someone they are concerned about, and why is it important to ask this question so directly?
Mrs. Salter: If you have concerns about someone’s thoughts and that they may be suicidal, ASK! It is okay to say, “Are you considering suicide?” Studies show that there is no increased thoughts of suicide, just from asking the question. They have also shown that if someone is feeling suicidal, it is often a relief for them to be able to express their feelings and feel as if someone cares enough to ask. If you don’t ask, you won’t know.
PPS-PC: If parents think their child might be considering suicide, or if their child tells them they are considering harming themselves, what resources are available to the parents, both within Pitt County Schools, and in the community?
Mrs. Salter: There are so many resources for parents, and community members, who are concerned about the mental health those that they love, especially their children. In Pitt County Schools, we are fortunate to have School Counselors who can work with children to build supportive relationships and help children know they are cared for at school. Another great resource for children in PCS, are school-based mental health services contracted through local mental health providers. Each school has Licensed Mental Health counselors, available to help address mental health concerns for students. There is a Mobile Crisis Team available through Trillium Health Resources 1-866-437-1828, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, that parents can call if they have immediate concerns about their child’s mental well-being. The REAL Crisis Center in Greenville is also has a crisis hotline available for anyone who is in crisis and needs to speak with someone immediately, 1-800-273-8255. The local chapter of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offers a support group for families of those dealing with mental illness and can be reached at 252-902-6264.
PPS-PC: As parents of PCS students, how do you hope students and staff alike will benefit from One Connection?
Elise Ironmonger: I hope staff learn how important they are in every single student’s life and the impact they can have by creating strong, meaningful relationships with them. I hope students feel heard, seen and cared for, no matter what.
Erin Perkins: I hope that students will learn that they can have a positive and trusting relationship with an adult at school. I hope that staff will be able to see the impacts they are making with the students at their school.
