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Who do I contact about a suicidal student?


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My ds is going to the local community college. He met another teenager that is friends with one of his friends. This boy is suicidal and was giving away all his money the other day. I don't know this boy or his parents. From the way he's been described he may be mentally ill as well. Who should I contact about his suicidal threats and scary actions? The college?

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I would find out where he lives and go to the parents. A high school junior in our neighborhood hung himself yesterday and I bet his parents would have loved someone to intervene if they knew he was in trouble.

 

No one knows where he lives or his parents names. The other kids' parents don't plan on getting involved. I'll bet his parents know or someone, but I am worried and want to make sure he gets help.

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What a terrible position to be in, Elaine -- I wish someone knew how to contact the boy's parents. Someone at the college would have to have that information, but getting someone to help you on a Friday night may not be easy.

 

Does anyone know what town he lives in? If his last name isn't too common, you might be able to locate the parents by looking online or in the phone book.

 

Cat

Edited by Catwoman
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It couldn't hurt to try!

 

I wonder if any of the kids took the money? I wonder how they'll feel if this young man really does harm himself? That's awful.

 

My son and the other friend collected all his money from everyone and will be giving it back to him Monday. He was practically forcing people to take it.

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My son's school has a full time police force. Open 24/7. Real police officers, not security guards.

 

Thanks. This school isn't open right now. I should have called earlier today. I'll probably have to call on Monday. I don't know that he is in immediate danger. I am worried about his mental state. He's obviously troubled.

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Do you know the boys' name and area he lives in? Our state police and sheriff's office, because we are rural and have no suicide hotline or community mental health emergency call number, will go to the home of someone who is reported to be suicidal and check to see if they are okay. By state law, if they see any signs that the person was beginning to implement a plan to hurt themselves, a suicide note laying out, bottles of pills congregated outside a cupboard with someone else's name on the bottle, a loaded gun laying on the counter, etc. they can call for an ambulance. DD, a medic student, just treated a man last week whom police felt was suicidal. At first he didn't want to admit it and everyone was going to have to leave so as not to violate his rights, but dd...who has a very deep compassion and endless mercy for sick people which I think they can sense...took him by the hand and told him she really felt that he wasn't feeling like himself and couldn't they please take him to the hospital and at least have him talk to the ER doctor and be checked over since she thought that just maybe some of his pills were missing. He broke down and started crying. The pollice had seen a note on the table listing all of his belongings and who was supposed to get them which was a big clue given that the guy was in otherwise good health and only 40. He let her and the EMT (he wasn't to fond of the other medic) load him up, start an IV, and give him a dose of narcan to begin counteracting the overdose. He agreed to speak with both a psychiatrist and the hospital chaplain as soon as he arrived.

 

It's worth a shot...maybe they won't do anything in your area but they do in ours.

 

Faith

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At the college where I work, there's a police officer on duty 24/7 with an administrator on call at all times with access to resources, records, etc. necessary to respond to something like this. If I knew about something like this and called campus police at night or on the weekend, they would move right away because there are procedures in place for that would bring in the resources necessary.

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I would just start calling. Call the local police. See if there is a suicide hotline in your blue pages (of the phone book). Call a local hospital ER and see if they can refer you to someone. Call anyone you know who works in mental health. 911 might even be helpful.

 

When I don't know who to call about something, I just start *somewhere* and say "I dont' know if you are the right person to ask about this, but if not maybe you would know who is..." and eventually I get the right person.

 

Giving away money sounds scary. Start calling NOW.

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Oh, my. That sounds very serious. At this point, I'd also start calling until I found someone who knew more about this boy and how to contact his family. Go with your gut instincts. He's crying out for help and could be very close to ending his life.

FTR, my eldest son found his best friend in high school right after he had slit his wrists. Luckily, he was saved, and now, 10 years later, he's doing well.

I wish you the best of luck. It's good you care.

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I did call a suicide line and they couldn't help me. I called the college and left a message. I also called the police and a detective is supposed to get back to me. Ugh.

 

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

 

I'm sure that, right about now, you're wishing you'd never heard anything about that kid. It's so stressful to feel that you have to help someone, yet don't know how to go about it.

 

Cat

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:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

 

I'm sure that, right about now, you're wishing you'd never heard anything about that kid. It's so stressful to feel that you have to help someone, yet don't know how to go about it.

 

Cat

 

I also feel guilty for not calling earlier, but today I was swamped. I got news that grandma is dying, uncle is in Egypt for crying out loud, and a sunday school teacher from my church was arrested for molestation. What a crappy day!

 

 

And no I'm not a troll.

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What an awful day you've had. Ugh.

 

Another option would be to contact a professor who has this boy in his class. It's extreme, but I know my husband, who used to teach at a university, would have wanted to help. We sometimes got calls at home from students and family, but they were never this dire.

 

I hope the detective will be able to help you.

 

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

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Do you know the boys' name and area he lives in? Our state police and sheriff's office, because we are rural and have no suicide hotline or community mental health emergency call number, will go to the home of someone who is reported to be suicidal and check to see if they are okay. By state law, if they see any signs that the person was beginning to implement a plan to hurt themselves, a suicide note laying out, bottles of pills congregated outside a cupboard with someone else's name on the bottle, a loaded gun laying on the counter, etc. they can call for an ambulance. DD, a medic student, just treated a man last week whom police felt was suicidal. At first he didn't want to admit it and everyone was going to have to leave so as not to violate his rights, but dd...who has a very deep compassion and endless mercy for sick people which I think they can sense...took him by the hand and told him she really felt that he wasn't feeling like himself and couldn't they please take him to the hospital and at least have him talk to the ER doctor and be checked over since she thought that just maybe some of his pills were missing. He broke down and started crying. The pollice had seen a note on the table listing all of his belongings and who was supposed to get them which was a big clue given that the guy was in otherwise good health and only 40. He let her and the EMT (he wasn't to fond of the other medic) load him up, start an IV, and give him a dose of narcan to begin counteracting the overdose. He agreed to speak with both a psychiatrist and the hospital chaplain as soon as he arrived.

 

It's worth a shot...maybe they won't do anything in your area but they do in ours.

 

Faith

 

Aww, bless your dd!!

 

I hope the detective can help, OP!!

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I also feel guilty for not calling earlier, but today I was swamped. I got news that grandma is dying, uncle is in Egypt for crying out loud, and a sunday school teacher from my church was arrested for molestation. What a crappy day!

 

 

And no I'm not a troll.

 

Oh my goodness! I think you get the award for worst day. Oh my what you've been through today. :grouphug::grouphug:

 

Praying hard for this young man. Please keep us updated.

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I also feel guilty for not calling earlier, but today I was swamped. I got news that grandma is dying, uncle is in Egypt for crying out loud, and a sunday school teacher from my church was arrested for molestation. What a crappy day!

 

Wow, when it rains, it pours. What a rotten day!

 

Cat

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Call the regular police. If it was during the regular school hours you could call the school administrator, a school counselor or the college campus police. They are all required by law to notify police if they believe that someone will be harmful to themselves or others. If you have the student's full name you can also call a crisis or suicide line.

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Is there no county mental health crisis line??? That's what I'd look for.

 

Police *might* be able to help, but might not be the best choice. And for some reason, all I can think about are the couple of cases of young men I've heard about who were suicidal and when they realized a cop was approaching them, that's all they needed to do something like not cooperate so they could commit "suicide by cop." :( Cops will shoot--they aren't usually trained in crisis prevention.

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Update: The detective wanted me to wait and contact the college. I contacted the college today and they act like they cannot figure out who this is with out more information from me. I told them his high school's name so they will be calling his high school. I have not been impressed with the help I've gotten so far. I hope they reach him.

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Here you are trying to do the right thing and it has turned out to be a hassle. :grouphug:

 

That's exactly what I was thinking. No wonder people don't get involved. :glare:

 

I hope the kid is ok. You've certainly gone above and beyond the call of duty here; it's just a shame that no one else seemed to care enough to try to help.

 

Cat

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He is a running start student, which means he goes to the cc and high school. I don't know why they cannot cross reference names and classes to find him.

 

Exactly!! How can they not have a record of the students attending their school? This is crazy. Oh this poor young man. I hope he's okay. Has anyone seen him since he gave his money away do you know? How scary.

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Exactly!! How can they not have a record of the students attending their school? This is crazy. Oh this poor young man. I hope he's okay. Has anyone seen him since he gave his money away do you know? How scary.

 

I'll know more when my ds comes home.

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Final update: A counselor at the college got into touch with a counselor at the high school and between the two of them they are resolving this issue. They thanked me for getting involved. I don't have any further knowledge because he is due privacy. As long as I don't hear anything negative happening to him I'm satisfied. :)

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Final update: A counselor at the college got into touch with a counselor at the high school and between the two of them they are resolving this issue. They thanked me for getting involved. I don't have any further knowledge because he is due privacy. As long as I don't hear anything negative happening to him I'm satisfied. :)

 

Thank you for taking the time to get involved and going above and beyond. You are truly a blessing.

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Final update: A counselor at the college got into touch with a counselor at the high school and between the two of them they are resolving this issue. They thanked me for getting involved. I don't have any further knowledge because he is due privacy. As long as I don't hear anything negative happening to him I'm satisfied. :)

 

Good for you for persisting especially considering how busy you are personally. I hope he will find the help he needs to overcome his problems.

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Thanks guys. You are so sweet. My ds says I'm a busy body. I'm the person that confronts the coach, youth leader, teacher, etc. when everyone else wants to but doesn't have the guts. LOL Keep praying for this boy though, my ds says he hasn't seen him now for a week. That may be a good thing, but either way it has to be hard for him and his family.

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