Mental Wellness & Suicide Prevention
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
We hope you find the support and information that you are seeking.
Care Solace available for SKPS students, staff and families
Salem-Keizer Public Schools is committed to the health, safety, and well-being of our students, staff, and families. We are proud to announce our partnership with Care Solace to support our ongoing commitment. Looking for [...]
Help is available
If you are in pain and considering suicide, there is help. Contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988.
If you or someone you are supporting is in imminent danger or a life threatening situation please contact 911.
As a school community we can offer hope, help, and strength. Thank you for taking the time to visit this website!

Mental Health Infographics
Mental Wellness Resources
Suicide and Crisis Hotlines

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.More Info:
- Visit 988's suicide crisis and lifeline website
- Call 988 crisis helpline
- Chat online chat with 988, available 24/7
- Spanish speakers: Ayuda en español aquí o llame al 1-888-628-9454 Lifeline ofrece 24/7, servicios gratuitos en español.
- For TTY Users: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988

Hotline for Northwest Human Services
Available 24/7/365.More Info:
If you are experiencing a crisis, please call the NHS hotline at 503-581-5535.

Marion County Psychiatric Crisis Center
Provides crisis intervention services seven days a week, twenty four hours a day for residents of the Mid-Willamette Valley, particularly Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties.More Info:
Call 503-585-4949 to contact Marion Ciunty Health & Human Services.
Recurso bilingüe disponible
Youth and Family Crisis Services, Marion County
Provides consultation and crisis screenings to youth in schools struggling with suicidal or mental health symptoms.
Call 503-576-4673. Located at 1118 Oak Street SE, Salem, OR 97301.

Oregon YouthLine
A teen-to-teen crisis and help line. Contact us with anything that may be bothering you; no problem is too big or too small!More Info:
- Teens available to help daily from 4-10pm Pacific Time. (off-hour calls answered by Lines for Life).
- Text "teen2teen" to 839863
- YouthLine is a service of Lines for Life.
- Chat online at oregonyouthline.org

Polk County Crisis Line
Polk County Behavioral Health provides 24-hour, 7 days a week crisis response by phone or in-person.More Info:
- After hours call 1-503-581-5535 (NW Human Services hotline).
- Call 503-623-9289 during office hours.
- Crisis services are available to any individual in need, regardless of insurance or ability to pay.
- Recurso bilingüe disponible.

SafeOregon
SafeOregon is a program created for Oregon students, parents, school staff, community members and law enforcement officers to report and respond to student safety threats.More Info:
Call or text 844-472-3367 or email tip@safeoregon.com.

The Trevor Project
Saving young LGBTQ lives.More Info:
Available 24/7.
- Call the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386
- text “START” to the Trevor Project at 678678
- Visit TrevorSpace website, an online international peer-to-peer community for LGBTQ young people and their friends.

Trans Lifeline
24-7 peer support for trans people in crisis.More Info:
Call 1-877-565-8860 for the crisis line. Trans Lifeline is a trans-led organization that connects trans people to the community, support, and resources they need to survive and thrive.

Veterans Crisis Line
Veterans and their loved ones can call to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.More Info:
To connect with a Veterans Crisis Line responder anytime day or night:
- Dial 988 then Press 1.
- Start a confidential chat.
- Text 838255.
- If you have hearing loss, call TTY: 800-799-4889.
Student Mental Wellness Resources

People go through difficult times and it is not uncommon to explore options to ease or stop the pain. If you or someone you know are considering suicide there is help available.
If you or someone you are supporting is in imminent danger or a life-threatening situation please contact 911.
The resources on this page can help you or someone you know find hope, get through this moment, build resiliency for later, connect to others, and learn how to help someone.
It may be surprising to know that talking to someone about suicide does not increase the risk of suicide and the conversation provides an opportunity for connection and support. We are all in this together and together we are strong.

Parents and Community Resources

Welcome! We are glad you are here visiting this site and exploring resources. We honor your courage and strength as you seek to help prevent suicide in our community.
If you or someone you are supporting is in imminent danger or a life-threatening situation please contact 911.
Did you know asking someone if they are thinking about suicide does not increase their risk?
While discussing suicide can be uncomfortable, it is essential in supporting people experiencing suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors. Our school district partners with the school community to provide hope, help, and healing. We invite you to explore these resources to learn more about suicide prevention.
Did you know asking someone if they are thinking about suicide does not increase their risk?
While discussing suicide can be uncomfortable, it is essential in supporting people experiencing suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors. Our school district partners with the school community to provide hope, help, and healing. We invite you to explore these resources to learn more about suicide prevention.
Cultural-Specific Mental Health Resources

People go through difficult times and it is not uncommon to explore options to ease or stop the pain. If you or someone you know are considering suicide there is help available. If you or someone you are supporting is in imminent danger or a life-threatening situation please contact 911.
The resources on this page can help you or someone you know find hope, get through this moment, build resiliency for later, connect to others, and learn how to help someone.
It may be surprising to know that talking to someone about suicide does not increase the risk of suicide and the conversation provides an opportunity for connection and support. We are all in this together and together we are strong.
Staff Mental Wellness Resources

Visiting this site and the resources are important steps towards helping prevent suicide in our schools and community. The information on this webpage is equally valuable in supporting you, your colleagues, family, and friends who may be experiencing a mental health crisis and/or suicidal thoughts. While discussing suicide can be uncomfortable, it is valuable in reducing stigma surrounding suicide and connecting to others.
SKPS strives to offer hope, help and partnership in the journey towards a healthy and resilient community. If you or someone you are supporting is in imminent danger or a life-threatening situation please contact 911. We welcome you to explore the resources on this page in order to gain more information regarding suicide prevention.
District Mental Wellness Policies

Warning Signs Infographics
Warning Signs of Suicide
The behaviors listed below may be some of the signs that someone is thinking about suicide.
Talking about:
- Wanting to die
- Great guilt or shame
- Being a burden to others
Feeling:
- Empty, hopeless, trapped, or having no reason to live
- Extremely sad, more anxious, agitated, or full of rage
- Unbearable emotional or physical pain
Changing behavior, such as:
- Making a plan or researching ways to die
- Withdrawing from friends, saying good bye, giving away important items, or making a will
- Taking dangerous risks such as driving extremely fast
- Displaying extreme mood swings
- Eating or sleeping more or less
- Using drugs or alcohol more often
If these warning signs apply to you or someone you know, get help as soon as possible, particularly if the behavior is new or has increased recently.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website
1-800-273-TALK
Crisis Text Line
Text “HELLO” to 741741
Señales de advertencia sobre el suicidio
Los comportamientos que se mencionan a continuación pueden ser algunas de las señales de advertencia de que alguien está pensando en suicidarse.
Hablar sobre:
- querer morirse,
- sentir una gran culpa o vergüenza,
- ser una carga para los demás.
Sentirse:
- vacío, sin esperanza, atrapado o sin razón para vivir;
- extremadamente triste, ansioso, agitado o lleno de ira;
- con un dolor insoportable, ya sea emocional o físico.
Cambiar de comportamiento, como:
- hacer un plan o investigar formas de morir;
- alejarse de los amigos, decir adiós, regalar artículos importantes o hacer un testamento;
- hacer cosas muy arriesgadas como conducir con una rapidez extrema;
- mostrar cambios de humor extremos;
- comer o dormir demasiado o muy poco;
- consumir drogas o alcohol con más frecuencia.
Si estas señales de advertencia le son pertinentes a usted o a alguien que conoce, busque ayuda lo más pronto posible, especialmente si el comportamiento es nuevo o si se ha intensificado recientemente.
Red Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio
1-888-628-9454 (español)/1-800-273-TALK (inglés)
Línea de crisis para mensajes de texto (inglés)
Envíe la palabra “HELLO” al 741741
5 Action Steps for Helping Someone in Emotional Pain
In 2018, suicide claimed the lives of more than 48,000 people in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Suicide affects people of all ages, genders, races, and ethnicities.
Suicide is complicated and tragic, but it can be preventable. Knowing the warning signs for suicide and how to get help can help save lives.
Visit National Institute of Mental Health for more information.
Here are 5 steps you can take to #BeThe1To help someone in emotional pain:
- ASK: “Are you thinking about killing yourself?” It’s not an easy question but studies show that asking at-risk individuals if they are suicidal does not increase suicides or suicidal thoughts.
- KEEP THEM SAFE: Reducing a suicidal person’s access to highly lethal items or places is an important part of suicide prevention. While this is not always easy, asking if the at-risk person has a plan and removing or disabling the lethal means can make a difference.
- BE THERE: Listen carefully and learn what the individual is thinking and feeling. Research suggests acknowledging and talking about suicide may in fact reduce rather than increase suicidal thoughts.
- HELP THEM CONNECT: Save the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number (1-800-273-TALK) and the Crisis Text Line (741741) in your phone so they’re there if you need them. You can also help make a connection with a trusted individual like a family member, friend, spiritual advisor, or mental health professional.
- STAY CONNECTED: Staying in touch after a crisis or after being discharged from care can make a difference. Studies have shown the number of suicide deaths goes down when someone follows up with the at-risk person.
Planteamos 5 medidas que puede seguir para ayudar a una persona con dolor emocional:
- PREGUNTE: “¿Estás pensando en suicidarte?” No es una pregunta fácil de hacer, pero los estudios muestran que preguntar a las personas en riesgo si tienen pensamientos o deseos de morir o de matarse no aumenta los suicidios ni los pensamientos suicidas.
- MANTÉNGALA A SALVO: Reducir el acceso de la persona suicida a ciertos objetos o lugares sumamente letales es parte esencial de la prevención del suicidio. Si bien hacer esto no es fácil, preguntarle a la persona en riesgo si tiene algún plan y desactivar o eliminar cualquier medio letal puede marcar la diferencia.
- ESTÉ PRESENTE: Escuche atentamente para enterarse de lo que la persona en riesgo está pensando y sintiendo. De hecho, las investigaciones sugieren que reconocer y hablar sobre el suicidio puede reducir los pensamientos suicidas en lugar de aumentarlos.
- AYÚDELA A ESTABLECER UNA CONEXIÓN: Guarde el número de la Red Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio (1-888-628-9545) y la línea de crisis para mensajes de texto (741741) en su teléfono celular para que lo tenga a mano cuando lo necesite. Usted también puede ayudar a la persona suicida a establecer una conexión con una persona de confianza, como un miembro de la familia, un amigo, un asesor espiritual o un profesional de la salud mental.
- MANTÉNGASE COMUNICADO: Mantenerse en contacto con la persona después de que tuvo una crisis o después de haber sido dada de alta de su tratamiento puede marcar la diferencia. Los estudios han demostrado que el número de muertes por suicidio disminuye cuando alguien da seguimiento con la persona en riesgo.
Life is like the ocean.
It can be calm or still,
and rough or rigid,
but in the end,
it is always beautiful.