Appropriately Address Media Requests

Appropriately Address Media RequestsEssential goals of School Suicide Postvention are to minimize trauma and reduce the risk for additional suicides.

Schools should develop safe and appropriate messages in order to prevent suicide contagion (the process by which a suicide increase the risk of suicidal behavior in others). A school professional should be assigned as the school liaison and spokesperson to the media. This can ensure that messages are accurate, consistent and appropriate.

The manner with which the media covers a suicide can have deleterious consequences and contribute to increased suicidal behavior if improperly handled. Research indicates that the risk for suicide contagion is directly related to the content, amount, and duration of media coverage.

Therefore, schools should strongly encourage media professionals to follow the Ohio suicide reporting guidelines. These guidelines recommend professionals to 1) Limit contagion, 2) Frame the story ethically, 3) Use appropriate language, and 4) Provide suicide prevention resources. These guidelines can be found at: https://suicideprevention.ohio.gov/Postvention/Media-Guidelines.

Limit Suicide Contagion When Covering Suicide:

  • Cover the story in a non-sensationalistic, sensitive way that respects the individual who died by suicide and those surviving this painful loss.
  • If you include narrative that could cause intense emotional distress, use the phrase “Content Warning.”  

Frame a Story Ethically:

  • Consider the purpose of the story and how the narrative will impact your audience.
  • Avoid reporting on the method of suicide 

Use Appropriate Language:

  • Do not use the term “committed suicide.” because of its association with moral failing.
  • Instead, use objective terms such as “died by suicide,” “suicide death,” or “suicide attempt.

Provide Suicide Prevention Resources:

  • Include the message that those recovering can find support and treatments for depression.
  • Highlight protective factors that lower the risk of suicide as well as effective coping strategies to manage crises.

School professionals should encourage the media to provide the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline telephone number (800-273-8255) and information on local mental health resources.