Suicide is a topic that has been very big in the media lately. Between 13 Reasons Why and increased rates of suicide in the United States, people are finally realizing that this is a huge problem that needs to be addressed.

According to RAND Corporation, an American nonprofit that offers research to military forces, 121 Americans commit suicide every day and this number is only rising. From 1999 to 2015, there was an increase of 26 percent. This is huge when you think that suicide is the second leading cause of death in people age 10 to 24, next to accidents.

The thing is, most suicides are preventable. According to The Jason  Foundation, a US organization that focuses on how suicide is preventable, four out of five teens who commit suicide do show clear warning signs.

Most people assume that suicide is something that happens outside of their own communities, but this is not the case anymore. In January 2018, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School lost two students in just two days. During this school year, Lee Summit High School has lost three students to suicide.

While not all suicides can be stopped, many can be prevented through the resources at school for students who are struggling with suicidal thoughts.

De Soto High School social worker Joe Kordalski has a lot of resources available for students at school.

“Accessing the Student Services department is going to be the best place to support a student’s social/emotional needs at school. We are all there to support the student and assist them in de-escalating and working to uncover solutions to their crisis,” Kordalski said.

Some politicians are proposing to cut back on training for suicide prevention for teachers. Right now, all teachers are required to be trained on this, but if the passes bill, not everyone will be.

The Jason Flatt Act in 2016 requires teachers to have a one-hour training every school year. This new bill says that only select teachers will be trained.

Supporters of this bill say that if a teacher does not interact with many students, they don’t need the training.

The more teachers you have trained to notices these red flags, the more you have a chance of stopping a tragedy before it happens.

Kordalski has advice for friends of people going through rough times who want to help.

“If you have concerns for a friend, you can show you support by remembering three steps; Acknowledge, Care and Tell,” Kordalski said. “Acknowledge that what they are going through is very difficult and overwhelming. Show you care by  listening to their concerns and worries and offer to support them in talking with someone. Last, tell a trusted adult of your concerns for their safety in a timely manner. Do not wait for the following day, sharing this forward quickly is very important.”

If anyone has considered ending his or her life or is going through a rough time, Kordalski says there is always someone to help you.

“There can always be someone there to listen. Take the chance in making a positive connection with a DHS teacher, coach, para, administrator… Use the people around you to share your story. If you feel you don’t have that person to turn to, use the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255,” Kordalski said.