September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and it's also the time of year that many students are returning to school. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth ages 10–19 in the U.S. And surprisingly, many school districts do not have adequate (or any) policies and procedures in place to prevent youth suicide.

By having clear suicide prevention policies and procedures in place, schools can act to reduce the risk of suicide and save more young lives.

That's why The Trevor Project developed Model School Policy so every school can have the resources they need to create and implement best in class suicide prevention policies. The model provides school districts with language for comprehensive policies that address preventing, assessing the risk of, intervening in, and responding to youth suicidal behavior.

School districts that implement can help schools ensure that students in crisis are referred to supportive resources and that suicides within the school community are addressed appropriately.

You can make a difference today for your local schools — join us in supporting schools across the U.S. to implement suicide prevention policies. Sign up now to get information on how to make an impact for students in your area.