School-wide staff and faculty training in suicide risk awareness: successes and challenges.

PROBLEM Rates of youth suicide and suicidal behavior remain high despite prevention efforts. Training high school personnel as gatekeepers is an important strategy. METHODS Training was implemented in a school district's five comprehensive high schools. Surveys were conducted before and after training sessions, which targeted all adults working at the high school. Two hundred thirty-seven individuals completed the pretest and/or posttest. FINDINGS Participants reported gains in knowledge, confidence, and feelings of competence in recognizing, approaching, and connecting distressed youth to school-based resources. Training was well received. CONCLUSION Training is acceptable and appropriate for school personnel. Increasing the number of school personnel who participate in the training is challenging.