Suicide Prevention Protocol

Purpose

The purpose of this protocol is to provide education and guidance to faculty, staff, students, and other members of the College community to help prevent student suicide.  All suicidal behavior or threats should be taken seriously and immediately addressed in accordance with this protocol.  In case of an emergency, please call 911 or contact Bristol Police at 774.357.3911 or 3911 from a campus phone immediately.

Definitions

Suicide: Death from an injury which is self-inflicted and by which the student intended to kill him/herself.

Suicidal Behavior: Any potentially injurious behavior which is self-inflicted and by which a student intends, or gives the appearance of intending, to kill himself or herself.

Suicidal Ideation: Any self-reported thoughts or feelings about engaging in suicidal behavior.

Suicide Plan: A proposed method of self-inflicted injury through which the potential and intentional outcome is death.

Active Suicidal Ideation with Specific Plan and Intent to Act: Thoughts of killing oneself with details of plan fully or partially worked out and student has some intent to carry it out.

Active Suicidal Ideation with Some Intent to Act, without Specific Plan: Active suicidal thoughts of killing oneself and student reports having some intent to act on such thoughts, as opposed to “I have the thoughts, but I definitely will not do anything about them.”

Actual Knowledge: The direct and clear awareness of a fact or circumstance, as opposed to constructive (inferred or implied) knowledge.  What a person "must have known" as opposed to "should have known." 

Protocol

This Protocol shall be followed in the event a College employee has actual knowledge that a student:

1. Is actively engaged in suicidal behavior;
2. Has stated plans or intentions to commit suicide, including active suicidal ideation with specific plan and intent to act, or active suicidal ideation with some intent to act, without a specific plan; or
3. Has engaged in suicidal behavior previously while enrolled at the College or recently before matriculation.

Where the college has actual knowledge that a student has engaged in suicidal behavior and is currently hospitalized, these protocols shall be activated (under procedures for Previous Suicidal Behavior).

a. Active Suicidal Behavior

• Any member of the College community who has actual knowledge that a student is actively engaged in suicidal behavior shall immediately contact emergency personnel by calling 911 or Bristol Police at 774.357.3911. After Bristol Police has responded to the situation, the reporting party should complete a SOAR Team Referral online.
• Bristol Police shall attempt to contact the student’s emergency contact of record or another emergency contact identified by the student.
• Bristol Police will contact the Associate Vice President for Student Success at 774.357.2150, and may consult with the Director of Student Wellness, or available counselor, at 774.357.2760.
• If the Associate Vice President for Student Success is not available, Bristol Police will contact the designee, Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management at 774.357.2150.

b. Active Suicidal Ideations with Stated Plans or Intentions 

• Any member of the College community who has actual knowledge that a student has stated plans or intentions to engage in suicidal behavior shall contact emergency personnel by calling 911 or Bristol Police at 774.357.2218 or 3911 from a campus phone. After Bristol Police has responded to the situation, the reporting party should complete a SOAR Team Referral online.
• Bristol Police will contact the Associate Vice President for Student Success at 774.357.2150, and may consult with the contact the Director of Student Wellness, or available counselor, at 774.357.2234.
• If the Associate Vice President for Student Success is not available, Bristol Police will contact the designee, Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management at 774.257.2150.
• Based on the information received, the Associate Vice President for Student Success, or designee, shall determine whether the protocol applies. In doing so, the AVP, or designee, may attempt to meet with the student and/or consult with the College’s SOAR Team.
• If the protocol is activated, the AVP, or designee, shall attempt to contact the student’s emergency contact of record or another emergency contact identified by the student.
• The AVP, or designee, may further consult with the College’s SOAR Team to identify support strategies and/or develop a follow-up action plan for the student.

c. Previous Suicidal Behavior 

• Any member of the College community who has actual knowledge that a student has engaged in suicidal behavior while enrolled, attempted suicide at the College, or recently before matriculating, shall contact the Associate Vice President for Student Success at 774.57.2150. After contacting the Associate Vice President for Student Success, the reporting party should or complete a SOAR Team Referral online.
• If the Associate Vice President for Student Success is not available, Bristol Police will contact the designee, Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management at 774.357.2150.
• Based on the information received, the AVP, or designee, shall determine whether the protocol should be activated.
• If the protocol is activated, the AVP, or designee, shall attempt to contact the student’s emergency contact on record or another emergency contact identified by the student.
• The AVP, or designee, may further consult with the College’s SOAR Team to determine an appropriate medical referral, help identify support strategies, and/or develop a follow-up action plan for the student.