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District 15 to address suicide prevention

Parents of seventh- and eighth-grade students will receive information on suicide prevention during the next District 15 Parent Education Night, which will be from 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, at Walter R. Sundling Junior High, 1100 N. Smith St., Palatine.

The evening's presentation will offer parents practical advice from the Signs of Suicide (SOS) program that all District 15 junior highs will be presenting to their students this fall.

SOS is a school-based suicide prevention program listed in the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices that addresses suicide risk and depression while reducing suicide attempts.

The goals of the SOS program are straightforward:

• To help students understand that depression is a treatable illness.

• To explain that suicide is a preventable tragedy that often occurs as a result of untreated depression.

• To provide students training in how to identify serious depression in themselves or a friend.

• To impress upon youth that they can help themselves or a friend by taking the simple step of talking to a responsible adult about their concerns.

• To help students know whom in the school they can turn to for help if they need it.

This presentation will feature a screening of the short film "Time to Act," which all junior high students will view and discuss in early November.

Paul Budin, District 15's coordinator of social workers, and staff members from area mental health agencies will also be available during the presentation to answer questions and discuss their programs and services for adolescents struggling with depression.

The presentation will be translated into Spanish. Supervision will be provided for children ages 3 and older, and transportation to this meeting will be offered from the following locations:

• Edgebrook Community Center (also known as la escuelita in Green Lane apartments), 1926 Green Lane North, Palatine

• Police Neighborhood Resource Center, 2272 Algonquin Parkway, Rolling Meadows

• Palatine Opportunity Center, 1585 N. Rand Road, Palatine

Buses will load at 6:30 p.m., leave promptly at 6:45 p.m., and return at 8:30 p.m.

R.S.V.P. to Lady Gil, bilingual parent liaison, at (847) 963-7519 or gill@ccsd15.net if you plan to attend and need child care. Note how many children will be with you.

For more information, contact Paul Budin at budinp@ccsd15.net or (847) 963-3159.

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