Sans

Creating broad-based support for suicide prevention programs in secondary schools in Massachusetts

Bryan Whitcomb had expressed concerns about all the predictions of the coming of the “New Millennium”, the year 2000. As an uneventful
January 1st passed, nothing terrible happened. He, along with many others who were dreading the first of the year, breathed a sigh of relief. However, on January 9th, 2000, the lives of family members, friends and all of Bryan’s community of Littleton, MA, changed forever as they learned that he had died by suicide.

As friends and family grieved, a desire to honor Bryan’s life became very apparent. “See a New Sun Foundation” (SANS) was created to honor the life of Bryan Whitcomb. Because his family and friends were concerned by the alarming numbers of completed suicides in their community and the surrounding area, it was decided that the first major goal of SANS would be to provide suicide prevention education to the high school students in Bryan’s hometown of Littleton. SANS chose Screening for Mental Health’s nationally recognized SOS Suicide® Prevention Program because it is the only school-based program proven to reduce suicide attempts in teens.

The next task was to raise the funds to pay for the program. A grassroots organization, SANS they contacted reporters at the local newspapers to write articles about their mission and goals. As a result of the articles, donations toward their cause started coming in from individuals, families, churches and others. In addition they held other fundraising activities, which included the sale of flowers at the Littleton Memorial Day parade, an awareness booth at the Community Holiday Bazaar, and a folk concert, which included a silent auction.

With funds in hand, SANS approached the Littleton Schools with the offer to provide the SOS Suicide® Prevention Program free of charge including any auxiliary expenses incurred. It became apparent that in the minds of some, there was a great deal of fear about bringing suicide prevention and depression information to the schools. Would talking about this taboo topic put the idea into our young people’s minds? What about liability? Who would run the program? These were only some of the questions that had to be answered before the goal of bringing this information to the high school could be accomplished.

With the help of experts in suicide prevention, the Community Health Advisory Council was formed and members were able to allay the fears of the school and community. The Council formed a sub-committee, comprised of the high school nurse, the high school adjustment councilor, two members of SANS, a student, two parents of children in the school system and the school police resource officer. The sub-committee organized a timeline, planned for trainings for staff members; scheduled information sessions for both parents and school staff, drafted opt out letters, and made arrangements for referrals.

The SOS Suicide® Prevention Program was successfully presented to all Littleton High School freshmen in January 2006 and all seniors in the spring of 2006. SANS has reached out to other communities and has helped them bring the SOS Suicide® Prevention Program to their high schools.

SANS was recently awarded a grant from the Bruce J. Anderson Foundation to expand its message of suicide prevention and to help other Massachusetts communities bring the SOS Signs of Suicide® Prevention Program to their schools.

Jayne Lyons, SANS board member and graduate of Littleton High School stated in the Littleton Independent, “Ideally, the SANS Foundation would like to provide the SOS program to every public and private secondary school in the state…”This grant, in conjunction with our ongoing fundraising activities and support from the community, brings us one step closer to that goal.”